Tennessee ranks in bottom 10 for children's health

A new report ranks Tennessee as one of the worst in the nation for children's health.The state sits at No. 41 in the 2025 Kids Count Data Book. The report, produced annually by the private philanthropy Annie E. Casey Foundation, has measured indicators of children's well-being for more than three decades. The latest edition uses health data from 2023.The ranking indicates a slip in health metrics since last year's report, when Tennessee ranked No. 38.Two of the key indicators — children without health insurance and child and teen deaths — worsened since 2019. In contrast, both the number of low birth-weight babies and overweight children and teens improved during the same period.The latest data shows that:9.1% of babies in Tennessee weighed less than 5.5 pounds6% of children in the state did not have health insuranceThere were 41 child and teen deaths per 100,00033% of kids aged 10-17 were overweight or obeseThe increase in deaths reached a 14-year low, according to a news release from nonprofit research center The Sycamore Institute. The group's analysis traces this decline to drug overdoses and firearm-related deaths."These concerning statistics could inform how policymakers approach things like the allocation of opioid settlement dollars and state youth mental health efforts," the release states.Tennessee measures worse than national data in all of the health measurements.Across the U.S., the number of children with health insurance has increased since 2019, while the percentage of low birth-weight babies and the number of children deaths has worsened. The percentage of overweight kids has remained the same at 31%.Overall, Tennessee ranked No. 37 in the nation for overall child well-being. To determine its rankings, the report also surveys data on economic well-being, education and family and community.The state's report presents a complicated picture. While its health and family and community rankings are some of the worst in the nation, Tennessee does place in the upper third of states for education at No. 14.