You want the best care for your little one, but what if the best hospital is miles, states, or even countries away?
In this guide, we’re diving into the latest NICU and pediatric care statistics.
We’ll cover pediatric health trends, NICU admissions, access to care, and the challenges families face when seeking treatment for their children in the U.S.
At REVA Kids, we help families like yours reach the hospitals and specialists their little ones need, providing life-saving pediatric and neonatal transfers with attentive care at every mile.
Need a pediatric air ambulance? Call REVA Kids anytime, day or night. We’re here to help you breathe easier.
Leading Causes of Death Among Children in The U.S.
What are the leading causes of death for children ages 1-4 in the U.S.?
The leading causes of death for children ages 1–4 are:
- Accidents (unintentional injuries)
- Congenital malformations
- Deformations
- Chromosomal abnormalities
- Cancer
What are the leading causes of death for children ages 10–14 in the U.S.?
The leading causes of death for children ages 10–14 are:
- Accidents (unintentional injuries)
- Intentional self-harm
- Cancer
What is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–17?
Since 2020, gun violence has become the leading cause of death for children and teens ages 1 to 17 in the United States.
Children’s Health and Chronic Conditions
What percentage of children in the U.S. are in excellent or very good health?
In the United States, 86.3% of young children and 82.8% of teens are reported to be in excellent or very good health.
What percentage of children ages 0–4 are in fair or poor health in the U.S.?
In 2024, 1.9% of children ages 0–4 in the United States were reported to be in fair or poor health.
What percentage of children ages 5–11 are in fair or poor health in the U.S.?
In 2024, 1.9% of children ages 5–11 in the United States were reported to be in fair or poor health.
What percentage of U.S. children are not in excellent or very good health?
From 2022 to 2023, 10% of children in the United States were not reported to be in excellent or very good health, totaling more than 7.2 million children.
Are chronic health conditions increasing among children in the U.S.?
Between 2007 and 2022, the prevalence of chronic conditions among children ages 3 to 17 increased from 39.9% to 45.7% in pediatric health systems.
Is childhood obesity becoming more prevalent in the U.S.?
Between 2007 and 2022, childhood obesity increased from 17.0% to 20.9%.
Child Mortality and Survival Statistics in the U.S.
What percentage of deaths do children account for in the U.S.?
Young children account for less than 1% of deaths in the United States.
How many children ages 1–4 die each year in the U.S.?
Every year, more than 4,000 children ages 1–4 die in the United States.
What percentage of children survive past age 1 in the U.S.?
Today, more than 99% of children survive their first year of life in the United States.
How does child mortality in the U.S. compare to other high-income countries?
Between 2007 and 2022, children and teens in the United States were nearly twice as likely to die as their peers in 18 other high-income countries.
Health Disparities Among Children
Which racial groups in the U.S. have the highest percentage of children not in excellent or very good health?
From 2022 to 2023, Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native children and Non-Hispanic Black children had the highest rates of not being in excellent or very good health, at 15% each.
How many Hispanic or Latino children in the U.S. are not in excellent or very good health?
From 2022 to 2023, about 2.49 million Hispanic or Latino children in the United States were not reported to be in excellent or very good health, representing 13% of children in that group.
Pediatric Access to Care
How does access to medical homes differ for children with Medicaid vs. private insurance?
Among children under age 18 with Medicaid or CHIP coverage, only 38% received care that met the criteria for a medical home, compared to 56% of children with private health insurance.
Which states have the highest percentage of children aged 12-17 who attended adolescent well visits?
Among children ages 12–17, the following states had the highest adolescent well-visit rate:
- Texas: 67.7%
- California: 66.5%
- Mississippi: 65.4%
- Nevada: 62.7%
What percentage of U.S. children live in pediatric care deserts?
About 33% of children in the United States live in pediatric care deserts, meaning they have limited access to pediatricians and nearby child health care services.
Which states have the worst pediatrician-to-patient ratios?
The following states have the lowest pediatrician availability rates in the country per 100,000 children:
- Nevada: 40.4 pediatricians
- Idaho: 38.7 pediatricians
- Wyoming: 46.3 pediatricians
Which states have the best pediatrician-to-patient ratios?
The following states have the strongest pediatrician-to-patient ratios in the country, per 100,000 children:
- Wisconsin: 79.7 per 100K, 996 total pediatricians
- Kentucky: 79.6 per 100K, 809 total pediatricians
- Washington: 78.9 per 100K, 1,300 total pediatricians
Pediatric Insurance Coverage and Medicaid
What percentage of children in the U.S. are covered by Medicaid?
About 50% of all children in the United States are covered by Medicaid, compared with just 17% of adults.
How many children ages 6 to 18 are uninsured in the U.S.?
In 2024, about 3.47 million children ages 6 to 18 in the United States did not have health insurance.
Children With Special Health Care Needs
How many children in the U.S. have special health care needs?
From 2022 to 2023, more than 15.1 million children in the United States had special health care needs, representing 21% of all U.S. children.
What percentage of children miss 11 or more school days because of illness, injury, or disability?
In 2024, 5.9% of children ages 5–11 missed 11 or more days of school in the past year because of illness, injury, or disability.
The Pediatric Care Workforce
Has the number of general pediatrics residents increased over the last 10 years in the U.S.?
The number of general pediatrics residents increased by 11.6% over 10 years, reaching 11,930 residents in 2022.
How many board-certified general pediatricians are there in the U.S.?
There are 59,488 U.S.-based general pediatricians aged 70 and under who are currently certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.
NICU Admissions in the U.S.
What percentage of babies in the U.S. need NICU care?
Roughly 1 in 10 babies (10%) in the United States needs care in a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU.
Are NICU admissions increasing in the U.S.?
Yes, NICU admissions in the United States increased from 8.7% of infants in 2016 to 9.8% in 2023.
How have NICU admission rates changed for younger and older mothers?
From 2016 to 2023, NICU admission rates:
- Rose by 8% for mothers younger than 20, increasing from 9.1% to 9.8%
- Rose by 9% for mothers aged 40 and older, rising from 12.5% to 13.6%
Which racial and ethnic groups have the highest NICU admission rates?
In both 2016 and 2023, NICU admission rates were highest for infants born to Black, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaska Native mothers.
Are preterm or low birthweight infants more likely to need NICU care?
Yes. Between 2016 and 2023, preterm and low birthweight infants were at least seven times more likely to be admitted to a NICU than infants born at later gestational ages and higher birthweights.
Which states saw the biggest increases in NICU admissions from 2016-2023?
From 2016 to 2023, NICU admission rates increased in 40 states. Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and New Hampshire reported some of the largest increases, ranging from 31% to 37%.
What is the leading cause of NICU admissions?
Premature birth remains the leading cause of NICU admissions.
NICU Costs, Length of Stay, and Capacity
How long is the average NICU stay?
In 2021, the average NICU admission lasted 14 days.
How much does a NICU stay cost per day?
In 2021, the cost of a NICU stay ranged from $4,488 to $161,929 per day, depending on the level of care and medical complexity involved.
How many NICUs are there in the United States?
In 2021, there were 1,424 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) identified across the United States.
How many beds does the average NICU have?
In 2021, NICUs in the United States ranged from 1 to 173 beds, with a median size of 18 beds.
Neonatal Nurse Practitioners
How many neonatal nurse practitioners are there in the U.S.?
The number of neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) grew from 5,433 in 2018 to 7,871 in 2024.
How many patients do neonatal nurse practitioners care for per day?
Full-time neonatal nurse practitioners report caring for an average of 13 patients per day.
Get Your Little One The Care They Need with REVA Kids
When your little one needs care far from home, REVA Kids is your trusted lifeline.
Our pediatric and neonatal air ambulance teams provide attentive in-flight care, connecting your little one with leading hospitals across the U.S. and worldwide.
Call REVA Kids anytime to arrange your air ambulance. We’re here for you day and night.
Sources
National Center for Health Statistics. “Child Health.”
Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health. “National Survey of Children’s Health Interactive Data Query.”
Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health. “Title V National Performance Measures (NPMs) Across State Comparison Table, 2023-2024 NSCH.”
American Academy of Pediatrics. “Equipping Campus Health to Care for Young Adults with Congenital Heart Disease.”
The American Board of Pediatrics. “2025 State and County Distribution of US-Based General Pediatricians Certified by the ABP, Age 70 and Under.” December 19, 2025.
UCLA Health. “New research reveals alarming decline in U.S. children’s health.”
National Library of Medicine. “The Future Pediatric Subspecialty Physician Workforce: Meeting the Needs of Infants, Children, and Adolescents.”
Aninda Das, MD, MPH, FAAP. “Children’s health needs are changing. Is it time for pediatrics to adapt?” AAMC. February 26, 2026.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation. “Children without health insurance by age group in United States.”
The Annie E. Casey Foundation. “Children with special health care needs in United States.”
The Annie E. Casey Foundation. “Children who are not in excellent or very good health by race and ethnicity in United States”
Joyce A. Martin, M.P.H. “Increases in Neonatal Intensive Care Admissions in the United States, 2016–2023.” National Center for Health Statistics. March 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db525.htm
Baylor University. “Facts and Stats About Neonatal Nurse Practitioners.” November 21, 2024.
Zehra Valencia. “NICU Admissions and Spending Increased Slightly from 2017-2021.” Health Care Cost Institute. July 25, 2023.
PartnerRe. “Neonatal Care Beyond Prematurity: Improve Outcomes and Manage Costs.”
Roberta Pineda. “NICUs in the US: levels of acuity, number of beds, and relationships to population factors.” Journal of Perinatology. May 19, 2023.