Arizona 'Kids Count' Data Shows Disparity Between Rural and Urban Communities

A national report released this week ranks Arizona 40th in the nation on 10 indicators of child well being, including education, death rates and poverty. This is the third consecutive year that Arizona’s ranking has slipped in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s "Kids Count" report.

County by county data show sharp disparities between conditions in urban and rural areas. Children and teens in Arizona rural counties fared significantly worse in rates of child deaths, teen deaths, high school dropouts and poverty, compared to children living in the Phoenix and Tucson areas.

Rural counties have the worst teen death rates. Gila, Graham, Cochise and Apache Counties report twice as many deaths per 100,000 teens as Maricopa and Pima Counties.

Chilren’s Action Alliance vice president Amy Kobeta attributes this to a lack of economic opportunities and less access to mental health services.