113 Foster Care Statistics for 2025

(Last updated August 2025.)

Foster care is important for children in need. No matter their situation, it allows children to grow up in a loving and caring environment.

To understand the true state of foster care, it’s important to look at the facts. These statistics about foster care provide a clearer picture of its impact on children and families.

Such information also helps organizations understand how to provide the best possible care to children in need and provide answers to common questions about foster care.

Here are 113 foster care statistics for 2025.

How Many Kids Are in Foster Care?

Current foster care statistics from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) show there are 343,077 children in foster care in the U.S.

In 2022, approximately 527,180 children passed through the foster care system, including those who were already in foster care and those who entered or exited during the year.

While America is experiencing a downward trend — AFCARS estimated 343,000 children were in foster care in 2023 — foster care remains a reality for many children. 

Every number in these statistics represents a child with their own story. While the data helps put the scale of foster care in perspective, it’s the individual experiences that truly show its impact. 

Foster parents, like Elizabeth Murrell of Maryland, open their homes and hearts to provide the safety and compassion children in foster care need. As she beautifully expresses in her letter to her child in foster care:

"We want you to feel safe and loved in our home. We understand that this may be a new and unfamiliar environment for you, but please know that we are here to support you every step of the way."

Knowing how many kids are in foster care reveals how many loving homes and caring adults are needed to step up and help. It also reminds us why it's so important to support families and try to keep them together when it's safe to do so.

Foster Care Statistics by Race

Children of all racial and ethnic backgrounds enter foster care. Understanding this diversity is key to addressing their unique needs. 

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the most recent data shows how foster care demographics are distributed across different groups: 

• White children make up approximately 66% of those in foster care.
• Black or African American children account for about 22%.
• Hispanic children also make up around 21%.
• Children of two or more races represent about 9%.
• American Indian/Alaska Native children comprise 2%.
• Asian children account for 1%, while Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and unknown/declined categories make up the remainder.

These figures provide a snapshot of who is in care, but they also reveal long-standing racial disparities. 

For example, Black children, who account for roughly 13% of the child population in America,  are represented in foster care at higher rates than in the general child population (22%).

Number of Children in Care by State

The number of children in foster care varies greatly from state to state. These foster care statistics by state reveal the wide differences in foster care populations across the country.

States with the most children in foster care:

• California – 46,214 children (California Child Welfare Indicators Project – UC Berkeley)
• Texas – 28,171 children (Texas DFPS Data Book)
• Florida – 21,808 children (Florida DCF – Child Welfare Statistics)
• Illinois – 20,815 children (Illinois DCFS Data Reports)
• Ohio – 15,032 children as of April 1, 2025 (Ohio DCF – Foster & Adoptive Parent Recruitment Plan)
• New York – 14,489 children (NY Office of Children & Family Services)
• Missouri – 14,014 children (Missouri DSS – Child Welfare Data)
• Arizona – 13,001 children (Arizona DCS Data Reports)
• Pennsylvania – 12,930 children (PA DHS – Be a Foster Parent)
• Georgia – 10,670 children (Georgia DFCS – CFSP 2025–2029)

States with the fewest children in foster care:

• Wyoming – 917 children (Wyoming DFS – Child and Family Services)
• Washington, D.C. – 603 children (DC CFSA Data Dashboard)

Delaware – 427 children (Delaware Kids Count)

Foster Care Statistics by State

Understanding foster care statistics at the state level provides insight into the unique challenges and opportunities within different communities. 

New Jersey State Foster Care Statistics

• The most recent DCF report notes just under 3,000 children in foster care or other out-of-home placement (NJ.gov)
• This shows a decrease overall in NJ children in foster care, as there were 6,191 children in care in December 2017 (NJ DCF NYTD Data Brief)

Massachusetts State Foster Care Statistics

• Last year, 9,297 children were in out-of-home placement (MA DCF Foster Care Review Report)

Maryland State Foster Care Statistics

• Approximately 3,800 children and teens are in out-of-home care in Maryland (Maryland Department of Human Services)
• About 26% of children in foster care were placed with kin last year in Maryland (MD DHS CFSP 2025–2029). (Maryland Department of Human Services)

South Carolina State Foster Care Statistics

• In the most recent annual report, there were 3,441 children in foster care statewide (SC DSS, “Total Children in Foster Care”)

Indiana State Foster Care Statistics

• The most recent report indicates Indiana has 13,239 children in foster care (Administration for Children and Families)
• Since 2018, DCS reports a 50% reduction in traditional out-of-home foster care (Government of Indiana)

Ohio State Foster Care Statistics

• In 2025, 10,360 children were in temporary custody of public children services organizations (Ohio 2025-2029 Foster and Adoptive Parent Diligent Recruitment Plan)
• About 1,000 Ohio youth age out of foster care each year (fosterandadopt.jfs.ohio.gov)

Alabama State Foster Care Statistics

• Approximately 6,000 children are in foster care in Alabama (Alabama Department of Human Resources)

Georgia State Foster Care Statistics

• DFCS reports 10,670 children in foster care in its planning indicators (dfcs.georgia.gov)

Pennsylvania State Foster Care Statistics

• Approximately 15,000 children are in temporary foster care  (Pennsylvania Government)

Statistics on Kids Aging Out of Foster Care

In some cases, children ‘age out’ of foster care. In 2022, for example, over 18,000 children aged out of foster care (approximately 9% overall). This is a reality in recent aging out of foster care statistics. Unfortunately, it shows thousands of youth each year reaching adulthood without a permanent home.

Here are some of those findings:

• Each year, around 15,590 youth age out of foster care, reaching adulthood without being reunified with family or placed in a permanent home. (Foster Care & Adoption Statistics – AFCARS 2025 Update)

Foster Care Mental Health and Well-Being Statistics

When kids enter foster care, they often bring more than just a suitcase. 

Many carry invisible burdens — memories of tough times, worries about the future, and sometimes health issues we can't see from the outside. Some may also require therapeutic care.

It's important that we pay attention to how these children are doing, both in body and mind.

• 2025 data shows that between 50% and 80% of children in foster care meet the criteria for a mental health disorder. (CAFO – US Foster Care Statistics 2025)
• Children and youth in foster care are up to 62% more likely to face mental health challenges (such as depression, anxiety, PTSD) compared to their peers in the general population. (NFYI Foster Youth Mental Health Policy Brief)
• Globally, foster care youth have 3–4 times higher rates of ADHD, depression, anxiety, and impulse‑control disorders, and are approximately four times more likely to attempt suicide. (Critical Strategies for Supporting Youth, 2025)

How Long Do Children Remain in Foster Care?

The goal of foster care is to reunite children with their families, if possible. If not, then foster care adoption is a potential solution. 

Here are some stats on the length of foster care, provided by the AFCARS Report:

Foster Care Adoption Statistics

In cases where reuniting a child with their biological parents isn’t possible, the goal is to find an adoptive family.

How Many Licensed Foster Homes Are Out There?

Foster care can’t work without selfless people volunteering to provide love and care. Becoming a foster parent is no small feat, and children in care need them to lead fulfilling lives and thrive in the future.

Education and High School Completion Among Youth in Foster Care

In many cases, being in foster care can affect the education of a child. Here’s what the statistics say about foster care education.

• Only 3-4% of children in care obtain a four-year degree. (NFYI)
• Between 2-6% of children in care obtain a two-year degree. (Blue Cross NC)
• Only 50% of children in care complete high school. (Foster Youth of America)
• Over 40% of children in care experience educational difficulties. (Set to Thrive)
• Around one-third of older children in care change schools 5 or more times. (Education Law Center)
• Children in care often struggle to graduate high school on time — 9 different states reported that less than 50% graduated in 4 years. (FREOPP)

Family Connections in Foster Care

The bonds of family play a crucial role in a child's development and well-being, especially when that child is in foster care. 

While the primary goal of foster care is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children who cannot live with their biological parents, maintaining and nurturing family connections remains a priority. 

Ready to Open Your Home?

Navigating the foster care home study and approval process can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone.

The Beginner’s Guide to Foster Care gives you the tools and clarity you need to take the first step. Inside, you’ll discover how to:

• Understand the home study, preservice sessions, and licensing process
• Know which documents and safety measures are required
• Build confidence in your ability to provide a safe, loving, and nurturing home for a child in foster care

With practical, step-by-step guidance, this free guide helps you move forward with confidence and purpose.