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County profiles provide benchmark for child well-being in pandemic recovery

NASHVILLE - Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth has released its County Profiles of Child Well-Being in Tennessee. The profiles include substantial county-level data and county ranks in important areas affecting child development: economic well-being, education, health and family, and community. The profiles also list county measures on 38 indicators. Although the data from these profiles was collected prior to the pandemic it provides us with key information to serve as a benchmark in Tennessee’s recovery efforts.

Key indicators include:
Tennessee has an average of one in five children living in poverty. The lowest percentage is in Williamson County (3.6 percent) and the highest percentage is in Lake County (41.2 percent).




One in three 3rd-8th grade students in Tennessee rated proficient on TNReady Reading tests. In Haywood County, fewer than one out of every five students rated proficient compared to Williamson County, where more than three out of every five students rated proficient.

Across Tennessee 5.1 percent of children were uninsured. The lowest percentage of children lacking health insurance was 3.7 percent in Williamson county. The highest percentage was in Warren County at 7.9 percent. This is the second statewide increase in the percentage of children who lack health insurance after this rate reached an historic low of 3.7 percent in 2016.

Tennessee had 4.7 substantiated cases of abuse or neglect per 1,000 children. Cocke county had the highest rate at 12.1 and Williamson county had the lowest at 0.9.


Knox County

At 17th, Knox County is in the top fourth of Tennessee counties in child well-being. Some of the county’s strongest rankings include a low rate of children who lack health insurance and a relatively low rate of child poverty (15.2 percent is still too high, but better than most Tennessee counties). The county’s biggest challenges are a high rate of school suspensions and a relatively low high school graduation rate.

Additional strengths include high percentage of students grades 3rd to 8th rated proficient on TNReady reading tests and a high median household income. Knox county has a below- average rate of pregnancy among girls age 15-17.

An additional opportunity for improvement is high housing costs.

Policy/Practice/Program Options to Improve Outcomes. Many of these policies have multiple models for delivery, including public-private partnership and non-profit leadership.

child well being knox county
child well being knox county

Sevier County

At 61st, Sevier County is in the bottom half of Tennessee counties in child well-being. The county’s best rankings include no child or teen deaths in 2018 and a low percentage of babies born at a low birth weight. The county’s biggest opportunities for improvement include one of the highest percentages of children without health insurance in the state and high housing costs




Additional strengths include a low percentage of students suspended from school and a median household income in the top half among counties.

Additional challenges include an above-average rate of substantiated cases of abuse or neglect and a relatively low-ranking high school graduation rate.

Policy/Practice/Program Options to Improve Outcomes. Many of these policies have multiple models for delivery, including public-private partnership and non-profit leadership.

child well being sevier county
child well being sevier county

Blount County
At 9th, Blount County is among the top Tennessee counties in child well-being. The county’s highest ranking is in the percent of 3rd to 8th grade children demonstrating proficiency in reading and math on TNReady tests. With 43.2 percent proficient in reading and 49.4 percent proficient in math, Blount County is one of the few showing more than 40 percent on both measures. Its next highest ranking is based on a relatively low percentage of children living in poverty. Though it is still a higher number than one would hope, Blount County’s 13.5 percent child poverty rate is among the lowest in the state. The county’s biggest challenges are a high cost of housing and a high percentage of babies born at a low birth weight.

Additional strengths include a low percent of children without health insurance and a high median household income.

Additional opportunities for improvement include above-average rates of child and teen deaths and a relatively high rate of school suspensions.




Policy/Practice/Program Options to Improve Outcomes. Many of these policies have multiple models for delivery, including public-private partnership and non-profit leadership.

child well being blount county
child well being blount county

Published January 17, 2021










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