NEW JERSEY — New Jersey has been ranked the state with the least at-risk youth in the nation, according to a new study released by personal finance website WalletHub.
The 2026 report compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 15 indicators measuring youth risk, including the share of disconnected youth, labor force participation among young adults, youth poverty and drug use.
New Jersey ranked 51st overall, placing it last in WalletHub’s rankings of the most at-risk youth and therefore the state with the fewest at-risk young people.
Among the state’s individual rankings, New Jersey placed:
- 41st for the percentage of disconnected youth.
- 38th for the percentage of youth without a high school diploma.
- 47th for the percentage of overweight and obese youth.
- 22nd for the percentage of youth drug users.
- 50th for youth poverty.
- 25th for the percentage of homeless youth.
WalletHub defined disconnected youth as young people who are neither working nor attending school. According to the report, about 13% of young Americans fall into that category.
The study said it ranked states to identify where additional efforts may be needed to help young adults succeed.
The full report is available on WalletHub’s website.
