Does Maine have the country’s worst child abuse rate? | Fact brief

Maine has the country’s worst child abuse rate, according to the most recently available data.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported a 2024 child maltreatment rate in Maine of 15.4 cases per 1,000 children, the highest among the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Massachusetts and Mississippi were tied for second-highest at 14.9 maltreatment cases per 1,000 children, followed by West Virginia at 14.7 and Kentucky at 14.1. 

Each state sets its own definition of child maltreatment, and Maine leaders have said the state uses a broader definition than other states, which causes Maine to have higher rates.

The national average was 7.2 cases per 1,000 children, down slightly from 7.4 the previous year.

Maine’s 2024 Child Welfare Annual Report cited substance use, mental health challenges, domestic violence, housing instability and other family stressors as recurring pressures affecting both child safety and the state system.