Public Spending on Children in New Jersey: An Analysis from the Urban Institute’s State-by-State Spending on Kids Dataset

This brief takes a comprehensive look at public spending on children from birth through age 18 in New Jersey between 1998 and 2016. Drawing on the Urban Institute’s new State-by-State Spending on Kids Dataset, the brief finds public spending per child is higher in New Jersey than in many other states, driven by state investments in public education. It also finds that New Jersey children receive less federal support per child than the average American child. The analysis suggests steps that New Jersey policymakers and advocates can take to increase uptake of federal programs and tax credits.