Foster Care Statistics

0
US children under age 18 in foster care (estimated)
0
US foster children emancipated (estimated)
0
TX children in DFPS Conservatorship
0
TX youth in foster care (transition age 14-18)
0
TX youth emancipation (Age Out)
0
TX children waiting for adoption (Transitional Living Program age 14-17)

Nationally

By State

Children in foster care by state (approximate)

Alabama

4,932 children in foster care

Alaska

2,813 children in foster care

Arizona

17,101 children in foster care

Arkansas

4,878 children in foster care

California

51,537 children in foster care

Colorado

5,122 children in foster care

Connecticut

3,555 children in foster care

Delaware

761 children in foster care

District of Columbia

792 children in foster care

Florida

23,675 children in foster care

Georgia

12,376 children in foster care

Hawaii

1,541 children in foster care

Hawaii

1,541 children in foster care

Idaho

1,506 children in foster care

Illinois

14,212 children in foster care

Indiana

19,358 children in foster care

Iowa

5,978 children in foster care

Kansas

7,246 children in foster care

Kentucky

7,783 children in foster care

Louisiana

4,465 children in foster care

Maine

1,828 children in foster care

Maryland

3,668 children in foster care

Massachusetts

10,881 children in foster care

Michigan

11,387 children in foster care

Minnesota

8,663 children in foster care

Mississippi

5,284 children in foster care

Missouri

12,385 children in foster care

Montana

3,351 children in foster care

Nebraska

3,803 children in foster care

Nevada

4,234 children in foster care

New Hampshire

1,210 children in foster care

New Jersey

6,541 children in foster care

New Mexico

2,614 children in foster care

New York

17,534 children in foster care

North Carolina

10,115 children in foster care

North Dakota

1,380 children in foster care

Ohio

13,709 children in foster care

Oklahoma

10,057 children in foster care

Oregon

7,489 children in foster care

Pennsylvania

15,221 children in foster care

Puerto Rico

2,334 children in foster care

Rhode Island

1,648 children in foster care

South Carolina

3,930 children in foster care

South Dakota

1,404 children in foster care

Tennessee

8,048 children in foster care

Texas

30,577 children in foster care

Utah

2,676 children in foster care

Vermont

1,286 children in foster care

Virginia

4,840 children in foster care

Washington

10,364 children in foster care

West Virginia

5,892 children in foster care

Wisconsin

7,225 children in foster care

Wyoming

997 children in foster care

Children exiting foster care

Across the United States, children come in and out of the foster care system every day. Nationally, over 250,000 children and youth exit foster care each year.

  • 50% (125,000) are reunified with their biological families
  • 23% (57,500) are adopted out of foster care
  • 16% (40,000) go to live with relatives or guardians
  • 8% (20,000) age out (emancipate) from foster care when they turn 18 (or 21 in some states)
  • 3% (7500) leave for under "other" circumstances

Texas Children in DFPS Conservatorship: In 2018, 52,397 children in Texas were in DFPS Conservatorship, including foster care and other substitute care services.

Texas Children Exiting DFPS Custody: In 2018, 1,211 youth in Texas Aged Out or were otherwise Emancipated from the foster care system.

For complete data analysis of CPS and DFPS please click here.

Summary
Foster Care Statistics
Article Name
Foster Care Statistics
Description
Across the United States, children come in and out of the foster care system every day. Nationally, over 250,000 children and youth exit foster care each year.
Author
Publisher Name
Fostering Success Foundation
Publisher Logo