Children living in safe and economically viable families and neighborhoods, with stable housing and limited environmental health hazards, are more likely to be successful in school and in life. Living conditions such as poverty, housing instability, environmental toxins and neighborhood crime can compromise children’s school success and healthy development. These conditions can limit opportunities for stimulating and responsive interactions, provision of emotional support, and exposure to activities that can enrich children’s health, knowledge and skills. Neighborhoods that have few resources or are unsafe limit children’s development by affecting parents’ willingness to engage with community resources, exposing children to violence and physical hazards such as lead poisoning, and contributing to the level of stress that children experience.

To explore data on children's living conditions, click measures in the orange circle below. Data pages are best viewed in Google Chrome.

To explore initiatives that are leading in prioritized actions to address some of these areas, visit the Pathways Action Map.