Updated August 5, 2020 |
Infoplease Staff
Table of contents
The following table shows the number and percent of children in foster care in the United States, according to age, gender, race, and length of stay.
| Percent | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 532,000 | |
| Ages | ||
| Under 1 year | 5% | 24,290 |
| 1–5 years | 22 | 128,946 |
| 6–10 years | 24 | 116,801 |
| 11–15 years | 30 | 158,290 |
| 16–18 years | 17 | 92,091 |
| 19 years and over | 2 | 10,321 |
| Gender | ||
| Male | 52 | 278,916 |
| Female | 48 | 252,932 |
| Race/ethnicity | ||
| White, non-Hispanic | 39% | 205,478 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 37 | 195,040 |
| Hispanic1 | 17 | 89,177 |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native, non-Hispanic |
2 | 9,792 |
| Asian, non-Hispanic | 1 | 3,423 |
| Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic |
0 | 1,465 |
| Unknown/unable to determine | 3 | 14,432 |
| Two or more races non-Hispanic | 2 | 12,986 |
| Lengths of stay | ||
| Less than 1 month | 5 | 23,948 |
| 1–5 months | 18 | 94,399 |
| 6–11 months | 16 | 84,707 |
| 12–17 months | 12 | 62,036 |
| 18–23 months | 8 | 45,008 |
| 24–29 months | 7 | 36,236 |
| 30–35 months | 5 | 27,196 |
| 3–4 years | 13 | 70,754 |
| 5 years or more | 16 | 87,694 |
NOTE: Preliminary FY 2002 estimates as of August 2004. Percentages may not add up to 100% and numbers may not add up to totals due to rounding.
1. Hispanic can be of any race.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Admin. for Children and Families, Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Report #9.
| Births |
