Absolute size of early childhood population Total children under age 6
Relative size of early childhood population Percent of total population under age 6
Young child poverty rate Percent under age 6 in households with less than 50% of median income
Parental education Highest education level completed by each parent
Parental literacy Percent of population age 15 years and older who can both read and write (understand short,
simple, everyday-life sentences). Generally, “literacy” also encompasses “numeracy,” the ability to
make simple arithmetic calculations.
Parent employment rates Percent of adults who have children under age 6 and participate in the labor force
Prevalence of orphans Percent of children under age 6 who have lost one or both parents
Prevalence of single-parent households Percent of households led by one parent
Prevalence of teen-parent households Percent of households led by a parent under age 20
Birth registration Percent of children under age 6 with a birth certificate