The U.S. Census Bureau has released data indicating that New Mexico's child poverty rate improves significantly when anti-poverty programs are considered under the supplemental poverty measure. According to this measure, the state ranks 22nd in the nation for child poverty, a marked improvement from its last-place ranking under the official poverty measure.
The official poverty measure only considers wage-based income. In contrast, the supplemental poverty measure includes various anti-poverty programs such as refundable tax credits and noncash benefits like SNAP, along with local cost of living adjustments. This information was highlighted in a news release by New Mexico Voices for Children.
New Mexico Voices for Children welcomed this development as "great news." Gabrielle Uballez, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, emphasized the importance of this data: "This information is crucial for lawmakers as it shows how anti-poverty policies improve children’s daily lives by providing essential resources that enhance well-being and lead to better long-term outcomes for families."