Massachusetts Commended for Care of Underprivileged Children

Massachusetts is one of the top states in the country when it comes to caring for underprivileged children, according to a new study.

WalletHub, a personal finance service, ranked states in terms of care for disadvantaged children.

Massachusetts came in at No. 6. New Hampshire was No. 1; Mississippi ranked the worst.

The study took into account 16 metrics, including infant death rates, the number of children in foster care, and the percentage of maltreated children.

Here’s how Massachusetts fared in the following categories compared to all other states:

• Percentage of children without health insurance: 1st

• Infant death rate: 2nd

• Child food insecurity rate: 3rd

• Percentage of children in households with below-poverty income: 7th

• Percentage of children in single-parent families: 17th

• Children living in rental units vs. owner units: 18th

• Percentage of children in foster care: 30th

The U.S. has the second-highest rate of relative child poverty among economically developed countries, according to UNICEF.

WalletHub said it published the study ahead of International Youth Day, which is Tuesday.

Photo: File

An interactive map of the rankings: