Utah Ranks Among Lowest States for At-Risk Youth

Utah is among the best-performing states in the country in a new WalletHub report looking at where young people are most at risk of struggling with school, work, health and other challenges.

WalletHub ranked the 50 states and Washington, D.C., for “most at-risk youth,” using 15 indicators across education, employment and health. In the study, a No. 1 ranking means the state has the most at-risk youth. Utah ranked No. 47 overall, meaning only four states had lower youth-risk scores.

How Utah Scored So Well

Utah’s total score was 31.57. The state ranked 36th for education and employment risk and 49th for health risk. That health ranking is especially strong because lower numbers in the study indicate worse conditions, while higher numbers point to lower levels of risk. The report also highlighted several areas where Utah performed well. Utah had the 48th-lowest share of overweight and obese youth and the 50th-lowest share of youth drug users. The state also ranked 45th for youth labor force participation, with higher participation considered a better sign for young people entering adulthood.

Now How About the Neighbor's Kids

The regional comparison is more mixed. Nevada ranked No. 7 overall, making it one of the highest-risk states in the country. Arizona ranked No. 16 and also landed in the top half for youth risk. Idaho ranked No. 26, Wyoming ranked No. 30 and Colorado ranked No. 40. New Mexico stood out as one of the biggest concerns near Utah, ranking No. 4 overall. WalletHub also found New Mexico had the highest share of youth without a high school diploma and the fourth-highest share of overweight and obese youth. WalletHub says the ranking is based on data collected as of June 24, including federal education, labor, census, health and juvenile justice sources.

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What we learned: young people here appear less at risk than in most states. But neighboring-state numbers show the region still faces serious youth challenges.