The national KIDS COUNT program has released a data snapshot that takes a different approach in talking about poverty. The report looks at concentrated areas of poverty, such as neighborhoods with at least 30 percent of the residents living below the federal poverty threshold, and then looks at the number of children living in these areas.

While not all children living in distressed areas are poor, studies have shown that, for children in middle- and upper-income families, living in a high-poverty neighborhood raises the chances of falling down the income ladder as an adult by 52 percent, on average.

The North Dakota KIDS COUNT program at North Dakota State University tracks the status of children and families in North Dakota.

While North Dakota's economy is doing relatively well given the national recession, concentrated areas of poverty continue to exist in the state that affects the lives of 11,000 children.

North Dakota data for 2010 suggests that 7 percent of all children live in areas of concentrated poverty, which is up from 5 percent in 2000.

Sioux, Benson and Rolette counties have consistently had some of the highest poverty rates in the state. The data indicates that tribal lands within these counties have poverty rates exceeding 30 percent and that approximately 7,000 children live in these distressed areas.

In 2010, economically distressed areas in the city of Fargo include four neighborhoods, which is up from one neighborhood in 2000. In Grand Forks, there are three neighborhoods with poverty rates exceeding 30 percent, which is up from one neighborhood in 2000. Approximately 4,000 children live in these urban areas impacted by high concentrations of poverty.

The KIDS COUNT report offers a number of approaches that can improve the chances of success for families in high-poverty communities. More information about the report is available at http://www.ndkidscount.org/.

The North Dakota KIDS COUNT program at NDSU is funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

NDSU Agriculture Communication - Feb. 23, 2012