LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A recent study has ranked Arkansas second in the nation for youth who are at-risk.
The study by consumer finance site WalletHub used data to determine the number of people between 18 and 24 years old who are facing “a rough transition into adulthood.” Researchers determined two rankings, education and employment, and health, to come up with a total score.
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The education and employment ranking looked at items such as the share of youth not attending school or working, the youth poverty rate, the rate of teen pregnancy, and the percent of youth being detained. The health ranking looked at youth obesity rates, the percent of youth using illicit drugs or drinking heavily and the share of youth who are physically, mentally or emotionally inhibited.
Arkansas was not in the bottom of either category; that went to Mississippi for education and employment and Montana for health ranking, which in both cases was offset by a mid-pack ranking for the opposite category. Mississippi ranked eighth overall and Montana ranked 12th overall.
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The total score of 60.38, calculated by combining the categories, put Arkansas just behind Louisiana with its 64.04 score. Oklahoma was ranked third with a 60.18 score…