Research consistently shows that Medicaid coverage in childhood has long-term benefits for children, schools and society including supporting student success. A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis found that childhood Medicaid coverage also has a positive effect on the U.S. economy with long-term fiscal effects including boosting gross domestic product (GDP). For a better understanding of the important role Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) fulfill for K-12 students, you can now view updated data on the share of children with Medicaid/CHIP coverage for more than 9,500 school districts nationwide. In the median school district across the 50 states and Washington, DC, more than 4 in 10 (42.5%) children had health insurance coverage through Medicaid/CHIP.
Using data from the 2019-2023 Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), we found that the share of children with Medicaid/CHIP coverage ranged from below 5% of children in districts in Indiana, Arizona, and Kansas, to more than 95% in 16 districts across Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Washington.
The chart below shows this distribution across elementary, secondary, and unified districts, with each dot representing one district. If you want to see the distribution for school districts in your state or access these data through searchable tables, you can find state data pages here.
A school district with a lower rate of Medicaid/CHIP coverage isn’t necessarily a higher-income district with few eligible children. Many children may be eligible but not enrolled in coverage—particularly in states with low participation rates. Surveys also tend to underestimate Medicaid/CHIP coverage compared to federal and state enrollment data.
This data paints a picture of the nearly one third of school-aged children nationwide that rely on Medicaid/CHIP for health coverage. For these students, Medicaid/CHIP coverage is vital to their success – both in school and beyond. Studies consistently show that children enrolled in Medicaid miss fewer school days, are more likely to graduate from high school, grow up to be healthier adults and earn higher wages once they enter the workforce. Proposed federal cuts to the Medicaid program threaten an essential health coverage program that millions of school-aged children who rely on Medicaid for access to comprehensive, affordable health care. Supporting students means supporting Medicaid and school-based health services.