Children and Families
Disengaged Youth

Decreasing


Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19

What does this measure?

The percentage of the population ages 16-19 that is not enrolled in school and not working (either unemployed or not in the labor force).

Why is this important?

Whether a young person is in school or working is an indicator of future success. Reasons for youth not being in the workforce or enrolled in school vary significantly, but one common factor is the level of literacy and math skills developed in school. The United States has a larger share of disengaged youth and individuals with low numeracy skills than other developed nations. Young people not in school or working are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as drug use and violence.

How is the region doing?

In 2018-22, 4% of youth in the MetroWest region were not in school or not working, similar to the state and less than the national rate of 7%. Middlesex, Norfolk and Worcester counties had a rate on par with the region. Boston, at 3%, is a bit below the region. Since 2000, the rates for the region, the state and nation have declined slightly.

Sample sizes for individual communities were too small to report reliably.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19
20002008-122013-172018-22
United States9%8%7%7%
Massachusetts6%5%4%5%
Region5%4%4%4%
Middlesex County5%4%3%4%
Norfolk County3%4%*3%*4%*
Worcester County7%6%5%4%
Acton town, Middlesex County0%0%***0%***3%***
Ashland town, Middlesex County5%1%***1%***14%***
Bedford town, Middlesex County0%7%***16%***4%***
Bellingham town, Norfolk County1%6%***0%***18%***
Boxborough town, Middlesex County7%4%***3%***4%***
Carlisle town, Middlesex County0%0%***0%***20%***
Concord town, Middlesex County5%6%***4%***4%***
Dedham town, Norfolk County7%8%***4%***3%***
Dover town, Norfolk County0%0%***3%***0%***
Framingham city, Middlesex County4%4%***4%***2%***
Franklin town, Norfolk County1%***0%***3%***
Groton town, Middlesex County4%3%***6%***0%***
Harvard town, Worcester County0%6%***4%***0%***
Holliston town, Middlesex County6%1%***0%***6%***
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County4%6%***3%***5%***
Hudson town, Middlesex County7%2%***9%***12%***
Lexington town, Middlesex County4%1%***1%***1%***
Lincoln town, Middlesex County0%6%***0%***11%***
Littleton town, Middlesex County0%3%***3%***19%***
Marlborough city, Middlesex County3%7%***3%***17%***
Maynard town, Middlesex County0%0%***7%***0%***
Medfield town, Norfolk County1%1%***5%***0%***
Medway town, Norfolk County0%6%***4%***0%***
Milford town, Worcester County6%7%***6%***9%***
Millis town, Norfolk County0%0%***0%***4%***
Natick town, Middlesex County4%4%***2%***4%***
Needham town, Norfolk County1%6%***2%***0%***
Sherborn town, Middlesex County0%0%***0%***0%***
Southborough town, Worcester County5%5%***3%***0%***
Stow town, Middlesex County3%0%***4%***5%***
Sudbury town, Middlesex County1%1%***3%***3%***
Walpole town, Norfolk County5%1%***3%***4%***
Waltham city, Middlesex County2%2%***4%***1%***
Wayland town, Middlesex County3%3%***1%***2%***
Wellesley town, Norfolk County0%0%***0%***2%***
Westborough town, Worcester County8%2%***1%***3%***
Westford town, Middlesex County2%1%***2%***6%***
Weston town, Middlesex County0%0%***2%***0%***
Westwood town, Norfolk County3%2%***1%***0%***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Disengaged means not in school and not working. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number of Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19
20002008-122013-172018-22
United States1,423,2831,474,7551,185,0441,220,306
Massachusetts19,94320,80116,10618,773
Region6,8307,2036,0607,111
Middlesex County3,2083,1862,6203,578
Norfolk County8291,253*955*1,417*
Worcester County2,7932,7642,4852,116
Acton town, Middlesex County02***1***44***
Ashland town, Middlesex County2712***7***79***
Bedford town, Middlesex County037***109***30***
Bellingham town, Norfolk County744***0***138***
Boxborough town, Middlesex County1414***11***17***
Carlisle town, Middlesex County00***0***47***
Concord town, Middlesex County3349***35***42***
Dedham town, Norfolk County6495***50***26***
Dover town, Norfolk County00***12***0***
Framingham city, Middlesex County125141***160***83***
Franklin town, Norfolk County13***0***76***
Groton town, Middlesex County1522***45***0***
Harvard town, Worcester County021***11***0***
Holliston town, Middlesex County356***0***45***
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County2262***26***63***
Hudson town, Middlesex County6015***87***101***
Lexington town, Middlesex County4527***11***16***
Lincoln town, Middlesex County017***0***44***
Littleton town, Middlesex County014***18***96***
Marlborough city, Middlesex County47135***58***289***
Maynard town, Middlesex County00***25***0***
Medfield town, Norfolk County511***37***0***
Medway town, Norfolk County242***36***0***
Milford town, Worcester County7188***75***140***
Millis town, Norfolk County00***0***15***
Natick town, Middlesex County4155***21***64***
Needham town, Norfolk County791***32***0***
Sherborn town, Middlesex County00***0***0***
Southborough town, Worcester County1836***16***0***
Stow town, Middlesex County60***15***15***
Sudbury town, Middlesex County1013***39***37***
Walpole town, Norfolk County4612***38***66***
Waltham city, Middlesex County96125***166***51***
Wayland town, Middlesex County1620***8***13***
Wellesley town, Norfolk County011***11***72***
Westborough town, Worcester County6214***6***26***
Westford town, Middlesex County2110***36***116***
Weston town, Middlesex County00***14***0***
Westwood town, Norfolk County1815***7***0***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Disengaged means not in school and not working. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




INDICATORS REGIONAL TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate Increasing
Crimes Against People Decreasing
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age/Gender Not Applicable
Seniors Living Alone Decreasing
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Maintaining
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Decreasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
School Spending Per Student Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
80/20 Income Ratio Maintaining
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homelessness Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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