New York Is Actually a Good Place to be For Young Americans

The results of a recent study showed that New York state was listed as a state that has the least amount of at-risk youth when compared to the rest of the country.

Growing up is more difficult for some than others. Without a stable home or positive role models to teach them, some youths can fall behind, and experience harder times adjusting to adulthood.  One in nine individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 are neither working nor attending school. Others may also suffer from poor health conditions, that may affect their development physically or socially.

A large percentage of young adults are ineligible to join the United State military because they fail academic, moral, or health qualifications. Youths can be more at risk for poverty, violence, and early pregnancy if they grow up in places with economic problems or lack of a positive adult in their life.

The environments in 2021 are even more difficult for these young adults because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been a huge source of stress and has hurt the job market. A recent study was conducted to determine the states with the most at-risk youths. The states were compared across 15 indicators of youth risk. The data set ranges from the share of disconnected youth to the labor force participation rate among youth to the youth poverty rate.

I would imagine New York would do pretty good when it comes to this kind of study, and we did. We were listed as the 10th least at-risk youth. Here's the breakdown:

At-Risk Youth in New York:

• 26^th – % of Disconnected Youth
• 35^th – % of Youth Without a High School Diploma
• 41^st – % of Overweight & Obese Youth
• 19^th – % of Youth Drug Users
• 24^th – Youth Labor Force Participation Rate
• 35^th – Youth Poverty Rate
• 39^th – Share of Population Aged 12 and Older Fully Vaccinated