Percent of children by state who have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that can happen before a child turns 18 years old. Research shows that exposure to an ACE can lead to a higher risk of lifelong health problems like cancer, substance abuse, and obesity.

ACEs are defined by children’s interactions with one of more of the following factors prior to turning 18 years old: economic hardship, divorce or separation of a parent or guardian, alcohol or drug problem in the household, parent or guardian serving time in jail, living with someone with mental illness, domestic violence among parents, neighborhood violence, unfair treatment based on race or ethnicity, or death of a parent or guardian.

Below, data from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health show the percentage of children nationwide who have experienced one or more ACE.

  • The lowest percentage nationally is Minnesota at 38 percent
  • The national average is 46 percent
  • The highest percentage nationally is Arkansas at 56 percent
StatePercentage of children with at least one adverse childhood experience
Alabama
50.1
Alaska
44.4
Arizona
49.4
Arkansas
55.8
California
42.1
Colorado
46.3
Connecticut
42.2
Delaware
48.3
District of Columbia
47.1
Florida
52
Georgia
47.7
Hawaii
43.2
Idaho
50.9
Illinois
39.8
Indiana
47.3
Iowa
43.8
Kansas
45.1
Kentucky
53.2
Louisiana
53.6
Maine
51.7
Maryland
41
Massachusetts
38.8
Michigan
46.2
Minnesota
38.1
Mississippi
53.4
Missouri
47.8
Montana
50.7
Nebraska
42.1
Nevada
52.4
New Hampshire
42.5
New Jersey
41.4
New Mexico
53.3
New York
45.3
North Carolina
49.6
North Dakota
39.9
Ohio
49.5
Oklahoma
53.7
Oregon
47.3
Pennsylvania
47.1
Rhode Island
45.8
South Carolina
48.3
South Dakota
45.6
Tennessee
48.1
Texas
49.8
Utah
41
Vermont
45
Virginia
41.2
Washington
42.5
West Virginia
52.4
Wisconsin
41.5
Wyoming
46.7
Nationwide
46.3

Created by: Counseling@NYU, which offers an online masters in school counseling from NYU Steinhardt

Source: 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://childhealthdata.org/learn/NSCH/data