Economic Stability

Economic Stability

Another goal of DCYF is that families have economic stability. As DCYF staff engaged stakeholders across the state on what they wanted to see children and families achieve, we heard repeatedly about the importance of basic needs being met. Without economic security, many other positive outcomes related to health and education become harder to achieve. Census data on Washington State families with children living below the poverty level show disparities based on race and ethnicity. While White and Asian families live below the poverty level at rates lower than the state average of 10%, others have much higher rates. American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, and Hispanic/Latino families with children live below the poverty level at rates much higher than what White families experience.

Percent of Washington State Families with Children, Living Below Poverty Level, by Race/Ethnicity, 2010-2024

  Line graph showing percent of Washington state families with children who were living below 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL), by race/ethnicity, from 2010-2024. During that time, the statewide percent of families living below the FPL has decreased from 15.4% to 9.1%. The percent of families living below the FPL has also decreased for all racial/ethnic groups reported. It has decreased from 8.7% to 4.4% for Asian families, from 11.2% to 7.4% for White families, from 27.1% to 12.6% for Black/African American families, from 26.4% to 16% for American Indian/Alaska Native families, and from 35.9% to 17.3% for Hispanic/Latino families
 
Child Outcome Goal
Racial Equity
Families are Economically Secure