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Maine
Statistics on children, youth and families in Maine from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Maine Children's Alliance
Why This Indicator Matters
The child and teen death rate reflects a broad array of factors: physical and mental health; access to health care; community factors; use of safety practices and the level of adult supervision. Accidents, primarily those involving motor vehicles, are the leading cause of death for children and youth.
What the data shows
At a national level, child deaths are down from the rates 1900-2010, but have not changed very much since that time and have been 16 or 17 per 100,000 since 2010. KIDS COUNT Child Death Rate By way of national rankings, in 2021, 3 states were not ranked, but Maine tied for seventeenth among those states that were ranked for the lowest child death rates. Of the four New England states that were ranked, Maine had the highest child death rate. Also, 2021 was the first year since 2013 that's Maine rate was at the national rate.
Looking at 5-year data, in Maine, in 2018-2022, the child death rate for ages 1 to 14 was 1.4 per 10,000 children. The previous overlapping years rate for 2016-2020 was also 1.4 per 10,000 children, indicating little change.
For the latest 5-year period, 2018-2022, county data was suppressed in 6 counties due to child deaths over the 5-year period being less than 6. For the remaining 10 counties, there were no deaths at all for children ages 1 to 14 in Piscataquis. Cumberland was the only other county with a rate below 1 child per 10,000 children. Knox had the highest rate at 2.8, while Somerset was at 2.7 per 10,000 children.
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What the data shows
At a national level, child deaths are down from the rates 1900-2010, but have not changed very much since that time and have been 16 or 17 per 100,000 since 2010. KIDS COUNT Child Death Rate By way of national rankings, in 2021, 3 states were not ranked, but Maine tied for seventeenth among those states that were ranked for the lowest child death rates. Of the four New England states that were ranked, Maine had the highest child death rate. Also, 2021 was the first year since 2013 that's Maine rate was at the national rate.
Looking at 5-year data, in Maine, in 2018-2022, the child death rate for ages 1 to 14 was 1.4 per 10,000 children. The previous overlapping years rate for 2016-2020 was also 1.4 per 10,000 children, indicating little change.
For the latest 5-year period, 2018-2022, county data was suppressed in 6 counties due to child deaths over the 5-year period being less than 6. For the remaining 10 counties, there were no deaths at all for children ages 1 to 14 in Piscataquis. Cumberland was the only other county with a rate below 1 child per 10,000 children. Knox had the highest rate at 2.8, while Somerset was at 2.7 per 10,000 children.
Definition and Source
PROVIDER
Definition
The rate of deaths from all causes to children ages 1 to 14. The rate is per 10,000 children ages 1 to 14. The data are reported by the child's place of residence, not the place of death. The year 2023 represents data for the period 2019-2023, as these are 5-year averages.
Data Source
Notes
LNE (Low number event): Data has been suppressed to preserve confidentiality. Maine CDC revised their rules to suppress both numbers and rates for sub-state level such as counties when the number is less than 6.
Data represent five-year averages, with the ultimate year of the five-year spread indicated here; 2023 represents the average of data from 2019- 2023; 2018-2022, etc. The rate is per 10,000 Maine children ages 1 to 14.
All 2019-2023 county level data, except for Kennebec County, was flagged as unreliable because the estimate did not meet Maine CDC standards for reliability.
Data represent five-year averages, with the ultimate year of the five-year spread indicated here; 2023 represents the average of data from 2019- 2023; 2018-2022, etc. The rate is per 10,000 Maine children ages 1 to 14.
All 2019-2023 county level data, except for Kennebec County, was flagged as unreliable because the estimate did not meet Maine CDC standards for reliability.
Last Updated
February 2025