Children under age 19 without health insurance

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Why This Indicator Matters

Having health insurance is important for individual families for several reasons. Uninsured people receive less medical care and less timely care, they have worse health outcomes, and lack of insurance is a fiscal burden for them and their families. When the uninsured do have to seek medical treatment, often costs are borne by hospitals providing free care and eventually these costs are passed on resulting in higher health costs for everyone.

See: Health.gov Improving health by raising rates of health insurance coverage

For Maine as a whole, the rate of uninsured children ages 19 and under in 2024 was 4.2%, lower than the 5.6% rates in 2019 and 2020. It was the lowest rate since at least 2006. It is also lower than the 2024 national average of uninsured children at 5.9%.

Comparatively, the state rate of low income uninsured children under age 19 was higher at 6.0%.

For 2024, the counties varied between 2.7% of children being uninsured to 7.2%. Four counties had rates of uninsured children at 6% or above: Piscataquis (6.0%), Washington (6.5%), Oxford (6.6%), and Aroostook (7.2%). Four counties had rates below 4%: Androscoggin (3.9%), Penobscot (3.8%), York (3.2%), and Cumberland (2.7%).

Definition and Source

PROVIDER

Definition

Children under age 19 who were not covered by health insurance at any point during the year.
The numerator is children ages 0 to18 years who did not have health insurance at some point in time and the denominator is all children ages 0 to 18 years.

Data Source

Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) for counties and states
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) program produces estimates for all counties and states by detailed demographic and income groups.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) program produces single-year estimates for all counties and states by detailed demographic and income groups. The estimates use a model which combines survey data from several sources, including: the American Community Survey (ACS), demographic population estimates, aggregated federal tax returns, participation records for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), program, county Business Patterns, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) participation records

2024 Data Uploaded 8/27/2026

Last Updated

August 2026

Location

Children under age 19 without health insurance in Maine