With nearly 330,000 children in the U.S. in foster care, the non-profit organization SmileHub released new reports on the States with the Best Foster Care Systems in 2026 and the Best Charities for Children to highlight the needs of these disadvantaged youth and the states doing their best to support them.
To highlight the states with the best foster care systems and the ones that need to improve the most, SmileHub compared each of the 50 states based on 19 key metrics. The data set ranges from the share of children in foster care to the share of children who re-entered the foster care system after adoption to equality laws and regulations for children in foster care.
Foster Care Support in Arizona (1=Best, 25=Avg.):
- Overall Rank: 43rd
- 31st – Children’s Charities per Capita
- 40th – Share of Children in Foster Care
- 46th – High School Graduation Rate for Foster Youth
- 32nd – Maximum Foster Care Monthly Stipend
- 17th – Average Days per Year Spent Without Family
To view the full report, please visit:
https://smilehub.org/blog/states-with-the-best-foster-care-systems/257
