The living conditions for children in Hudson County is on the rise, a new report shows.
The living conditions for children in Hudson County is on the rise, a new report shows.
The county ranks 13th among the state's 21 counties in the latest New Jersey Kids Count rankings, which measure progress in 13 critical areas. Last year Hudson County ranked 15th in the rankings that is conducted by Advocates for Children of New Jersey.
The county, which ranked as low as 18th in 2010, saw improvement in several key areas -- lower unemployment rate, decline in child poverty and a rise in median family income in 2014, the latest figures available.
The county also saw a decrease in both juvenile arrests and the rate at which children were referred for a child abuse or neglect investigation.
"For the first time in more than five years, we saw a statewide decline in the number of children living in poverty," Cecilia Zalkind, executive director of Advocates for Children of New Jersey, said in a statement. "Fewer children were without health insurance and more kids started their school day with a healthy breakfast.
"While this is encouraging, a closer look at the data will show deep pockets of poverty that still persist and disparities in a number of measures of child well-being including child health and safety throughout the state."
Morris County, which ranked first, had only 5 percent of families earning too little to meet their needs and a median income of more than $136,000. Cumberland County, which placed last, had a child poverty rate of 29 percent and a median income of less than $45,000.
At No. 13, Hudson County was just behind Ocean and Union counties, but ahead of Mercer, Passaic, Camden, Salem, Essex, Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland counties.
The report identified key trends in Hudson County:
-- The percent of children living in families earning too little to meet their needs fell from 32 to 27 percent from 2013 to 2014.
-- In 2014, 46 percent of Hudson households were spending more than the recommended 30 percent of their income on rent -- down from 48 percent in 2013. The statewide average is 50 percent.
-- The county's unemployment rate improved from 6.6 percent in 2014 to 4 percent in 2015.
-- Median household income rose by roughly $4,000 in 2014 to $54,000, but that is far below the statewide median of about $89,000.
-- Although the county remained third in the state in percentage of eligible students taking advantage of the school breakfast program, it's participation rate dropped from 52 to 51 percent in 2015-16.
-- Hudson saw a decrease in child abuse or neglect investigations at 49 per 1,000 children, down from 52 in 2013, but still surpassing the statewide average of 45.
-- In 2014, the county's juvenile arrests rate fell from 12 arrests per 1,000 children under 18 to two arrests, pushing Hudson's ranking from 10th to sixth on this measure.
-- On the negative side, a lower percentage of women in Hudson County received early prenatal care, dropping from 67 to 66 percent between 2011 and 2012.
Advocates for Children officials said the organization will host two Kids Count Regional Forums, one in South Jersey and one in North Jersey, to help counties use the data to address the needs of children.
"During the upcoming election campaign season, as candidates talk about their vision and goals for the Garden State, let's make sure the needs of children and families are part of that discussion," Zalkind said in a statement.