Where children are born can affect their chances for a strong start in life. Babies need good health, strong families, and positive early learning experiences to foster their healthy brain development and help them realize their full potential.
This state profile provides a snapshot of how infants, toddlers, and their families are faring in each of these three policy domains. Within each domain, view data for selected child, family, and policy indicators compared to national averages. The profile begins with a demographic description of the state’s babies and families to offer the broadest context for exploring what may be very different experiences of the state’s youngest children.
Demographics
Infants and toddlers in Nevada
Nevada is home to 108,839 babies, representing 3.5 percent of the state’s population. As many as 42.8 percent live in households with incomes less than twice the federal poverty line (in 2019, about $51,500 a year for a family of four), placing them at economic disadvantage. The state’s youngest children are diverse and are raised in a variety of family contexts and household structures.
*Numbers are small; use caution in interpreting.
Good Health
In Nevada
How are Nevada’s babies faring in Good Health?
Supporting babies’ and mothers’ physical and mental health provides the foundation for infants’ lifelong physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. Babies’ brains grow rapidly in the first years of life, and, in these early years, the brain works with other organs and organ systems to set the stage for subsequent development and health outcomes. Equitable access to good nutrition during the prenatal period and first years of life is key to ensure that babies receive the nourishment and care they need for a strong start in life. Strengthening equitable access to integrated, affordable maternal, pediatric, and family health care is also essential to meeting babies’ and families’ health and developmental needs.
Nevada falls in the Getting Started (G) tier for the Good Health domain. A state’s ranking is based on indicators of maternal and child health, including health care coverage, prenatal care, birth outcomes, and receipt of recommended preventive care as well as food security, nutrition, and mental health. Nevada performs better than the national average on the percentage of babies receiving preventive medical care. The state is performing worse than national averages on indicators such as the percentages of babies receiving recommended vaccinations and mothers reporting less than favorable mental health.
Key Indicators of Good Health
to see selected indicators by subgroup.
Good Health Policy in Nevada
All Good Health Indicators for Nevada
Strong Families
In Nevada
How are Nevada’s babies faring in Strong Families?
Young children develop in the context of their families, where stability, safety, and supportive relationships nurture their growth. All families may benefit from parenting supports, but children and families of color face numerous challenges as a result of racism that impact their everyday life, which are exacerbated even more for children and families living in households with low income. Many policies can be designed to address these disparities by race, ethnicity, and income, including the provision of safe and stable housing, home visiting services, family-friendly employer policies, economic support for families with low income, and tax credits that benefit families with young children.
Nevada falls in the Getting Started (G) tier of states when it comes to indicators of Strong Families. The state’s ranking in this domain reflects indicators on which it is performing better than the national average, such as the percentages of parents who report being resilient and babies who have had one adverse experience. Nevada is doing worse than the national average on indicators such as the percentages of parents who report living in unsafe neighborhoods and babies who have had two or more adverse experiences.
Key Indicators of Strong Families
to see selected indicators by subgroup.
Strong Families Policy in Nevada
All Strong Families Indicators for Nevada
Positive Early Learning Experiences
In Nevada
How are Nevada’s babies faring in Positive Early Learning Experiences?
Infants and toddlers learn through interactions with the significant adults in their lives and active exploration of enriching environments. The quality of infant and toddlers’ early learning experiences at home and in other care settings can impact their cognitive and social-emotional development, as well as early literacy. High-quality early childhood care can strengthen parents’ interactions with their children in the home learning environment and support parents’ ability to go to work or attend school. Equitable access to high-quality care across factors like race, ethnicity, and income ensures all infants and toddlers have the opportunity for optimal development; however, disparities in access to high-quality care remain across many states and communities in the United States.
Nevada scores in the Getting Started (G) tier for Positive Early Learning Experiences. The state’s ranking in this domain reflects indicators on which it is performing better than the national average, such as the higher percentage of parents who report singing songs or telling stories to their infants and toddlers every day. Nevada is doing worse than the national average on indicators such as the lower percentage of parents who read to their child every day. Infant care costs as a percentage of the state’s median income for single and married parents also contribute to the ranking.
Key Indicators of Positive Early Learning Experiences
to see selected indicators by subgroup.