Introduction
In 2019, Pew Research found that the teen birth rate of that year was the lowest it had ever been since the government began collecting the relevant data. But although teen pregnancy rates have precipitously dropped since the turn of the twenty-first century, the United States still has higher teen pregnancy rates than the rest of the developed world.
Teen pregnancy can cause significant repercussions on health, the economy, and society at large. In teenagers, pregnancies are more likely to lead to miscarriage, illness, stillbirth, and even death. Teen pregnancy is also associated with increased social and financial costs through the short- and long-term effects on teenage parents and their children.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services provides a list of teen pregnancy programs to provide informational assistance to teenagers and adults alike. While most, if not all, agree that better health services should be provided to teenagers in regard to pregnancy, there is a crossover between parental, religious, and state rights that conflict and make the topic controversial.
Learn for yourself how teen pregnancy rates compare by state by browsing the data in the charts.
| # | State | Teen Pregnancy Rate | Sexual Health Curriculum | Reported Abortions Among Adolescents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 27.9% | 85.7% | 302 |
| 2 | Arkansas | 27.8% | 304 | |
| 3 | Louisiana | 25.7% | 752 | |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 25% | 529 | |
| 5 | Alabama | 24.8% | 92.4% | 549 |
| 6 | Kentucky | 23.8% | 93.4% | 305 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 23.3% | 86.7% | 847 |
| 8 | West Virginia | 22.5% | 89.8% | 123 |
| 9 | Texas | 22.4% | 5,147 | |
| 10 | New Mexico | 21.9% | 87.3% | 529 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 19.3% | 90.7% | 509 |
| 12 | Missouri | 18.8% | 93% | 146 |
| 13 | Indiana | 18.7% | 786 | |
| 14 | South Dakota | 18.7% | 79.1% | |
| 15 | Georgia | 18.2% | 94.3% | 2,903 |
| 16 | Kansas | 18.1% | 82.7% | 644 |
| 17 | Wyoming | 18.1% | ||
| 18 | Alaska | 17.7% | 60.4% | |
| 19 | Ohio | 17.6% | 92.8% | 1,800 |
| 20 | North Carolina | 17.3% | 89.1% | 2,312 |
| 21 | Nevada | 16.8% | 710 | |
| 22 | Arizona | 16.6% | 1,182 | |
| 23 | Florida | 15.2% | 87.3% | 5,349 |
| 24 | Nebraska | 15.1% | 79.8% | 194 |
| 25 | Delaware | 14.6% | 96.6% | 248 |
| 26 | Idaho | 14.6% | 91.5% | |
| 27 | North Dakota | 13.7% | 80.4% | 121 |
| 28 | Illinois | 13.6% | 100% | |
| 29 | Michigan | 13.5% | 84.8% | 2,379 |
| 30 | Iowa | 13.3% | 369 | |
| 31 | Montana | 13.2% | 90.3% | 162 |
| 32 | Maryland | 13.1% | 97% | |
| 33 | Virginia | 13.1% | 91.9% | 1,133 |
| 34 | Hawaii | 13% | 86.1% | 196 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | 12.6% | 94.7% | 2,545 |
| 36 | Colorado | 12.5% | 839 | |
| 37 | Wisconsin | 11.5% | 94.5% | 678 |
| 38 | Washington | 11.3% | 1,679 | |
| 39 | California | 11% | 89.5% | |
| 40 | Utah | 10.8% | 90.7% | 377 |
| 41 | Maine | 10.6% | 97.8% | 203 |
| 42 | Oregon | 10.1% | 98% | 856 |
| 43 | New York | 10% | 99.4% | 7,105 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | 9.4% | 90.8% | |
| 45 | New Jersey | 9.2% | 100% | |
| 46 | Minnesota | 9.1% | 90.4% | 849 |
| 47 | Connecticut | 7.6% | ||
| 48 | Vermont | 7% | 92.9% | |
| 49 | New Hampshire | 6.6% | 96.4% | |
| 50 | Massachusetts | 6.1% | 91.7% | 1,334 |
Teen Pregnancy Rate by State
Alabama
Teen Pregnancy Rate
24.8%
Ranked in the US
#5
Sexual Health Curriculum
92.4%
Ranked in the US
#16
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
549
Ranked in the US
#22
Alaska
Teen Pregnancy Rate
17.7%
Ranked in the US
#18
Sexual Health Curriculum
60.4%
Ranked in the US
#38
Arizona
Teen Pregnancy Rate
16.6%
Ranked in the US
#22
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
1,182
Ranked in the US
#11
Arkansas
Teen Pregnancy Rate
27.8%
Ranked in the US
#2
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
304
Ranked in the US
#29
California
Teen Pregnancy Rate
11%
Ranked in the US
#39
Sexual Health Curriculum
89.5%
Ranked in the US
#26
Colorado
Teen Pregnancy Rate
12.5%
Ranked in the US
#36
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
839
Ranked in the US
#16
Connecticut
Teen Pregnancy Rate
7.6%
Ranked in the US
#47
Delaware
Teen Pregnancy Rate
14.6%
Ranked in the US
#25
Sexual Health Curriculum
96.6%
Ranked in the US
#7
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
248
Ranked in the US
#31
Florida
Teen Pregnancy Rate
15.2%
Ranked in the US
#23
Sexual Health Curriculum
87.3%
Ranked in the US
#28
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
5,349
Ranked in the US
#2
Georgia
Teen Pregnancy Rate
18.2%
Ranked in the US
#15
Sexual Health Curriculum
94.3%
Ranked in the US
#11
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
2,903
Ranked in the US
#4
Hawaii
Teen Pregnancy Rate
13%
Ranked in the US
#34
Sexual Health Curriculum
86.1%
Ranked in the US
#31
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
196
Ranked in the US
#33
Idaho
Teen Pregnancy Rate
14.6%
Ranked in the US
#26
Sexual Health Curriculum
91.5%
Ranked in the US
#19
Illinois
Teen Pregnancy Rate
13.6%
Ranked in the US
#28
Sexual Health Curriculum
100%
Ranked in the US
#1
Indiana
Teen Pregnancy Rate
18.7%
Ranked in the US
#13
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
786
Ranked in the US
#17
Iowa
Teen Pregnancy Rate
13.3%
Ranked in the US
#30
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
369
Ranked in the US
#27
Kansas
Teen Pregnancy Rate
18.1%
Ranked in the US
#16
Sexual Health Curriculum
82.7%
Ranked in the US
#34
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
644
Ranked in the US
#21
Kentucky
Teen Pregnancy Rate
23.8%
Ranked in the US
#6
Sexual Health Curriculum
93.4%
Ranked in the US
#12
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
305
Ranked in the US
#28
Louisiana
Teen Pregnancy Rate
25.7%
Ranked in the US
#3
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
752
Ranked in the US
#18
Maine
Teen Pregnancy Rate
10.6%
Ranked in the US
#41
Sexual Health Curriculum
97.8%
Ranked in the US
#5
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
203
Ranked in the US
#32
Maryland
Teen Pregnancy Rate
13.1%
Ranked in the US
#32
Sexual Health Curriculum
97%
Ranked in the US
#6
Massachusetts
Teen Pregnancy Rate
6.1%
Ranked in the US
#50
Sexual Health Curriculum
91.7%
Ranked in the US
#18
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
1,334
Ranked in the US
#10
Michigan
Teen Pregnancy Rate
13.5%
Ranked in the US
#29
Sexual Health Curriculum
84.8%
Ranked in the US
#33
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
2,379
Ranked in the US
#6
Minnesota
Teen Pregnancy Rate
9.1%
Ranked in the US
#46
Sexual Health Curriculum
90.4%
Ranked in the US
#23
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
849
Ranked in the US
#14
Mississippi
Teen Pregnancy Rate
27.9%
Ranked in the US
#1
Sexual Health Curriculum
85.7%
Ranked in the US
#32
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
302
Ranked in the US
#30
Missouri
Teen Pregnancy Rate
18.8%
Ranked in the US
#12
Sexual Health Curriculum
93%
Ranked in the US
#13
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
146
Ranked in the US
#36
Montana
Teen Pregnancy Rate
13.2%
Ranked in the US
#31
Sexual Health Curriculum
90.3%
Ranked in the US
#24
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
162
Ranked in the US
#35
Nebraska
Teen Pregnancy Rate
15.1%
Ranked in the US
#24
Sexual Health Curriculum
79.8%
Ranked in the US
#36
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
194
Ranked in the US
#34
Nevada
Teen Pregnancy Rate
16.8%
Ranked in the US
#21
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
710
Ranked in the US
#19
New Hampshire
Teen Pregnancy Rate
6.6%
Ranked in the US
#49
Sexual Health Curriculum
96.4%
Ranked in the US
#8
New Jersey
Teen Pregnancy Rate
9.2%
Ranked in the US
#45
Sexual Health Curriculum
100%
Ranked in the US
#2
New Mexico
Teen Pregnancy Rate
21.9%
Ranked in the US
#10
Sexual Health Curriculum
87.3%
Ranked in the US
#29
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
529
Ranked in the US
#23
New York
Teen Pregnancy Rate
10%
Ranked in the US
#43
Sexual Health Curriculum
99.4%
Ranked in the US
#3
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
7,105
Ranked in the US
#1
North Carolina
Teen Pregnancy Rate
17.3%
Ranked in the US
#20
Sexual Health Curriculum
89.1%
Ranked in the US
#27
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
2,312
Ranked in the US
#7
North Dakota
Teen Pregnancy Rate
13.7%
Ranked in the US
#27
Sexual Health Curriculum
80.4%
Ranked in the US
#35
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
121
Ranked in the US
#38
Ohio
Teen Pregnancy Rate
17.6%
Ranked in the US
#19
Sexual Health Curriculum
92.8%
Ranked in the US
#15
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
1,800
Ranked in the US
#8
Oklahoma
Teen Pregnancy Rate
25%
Ranked in the US
#4
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
529
Ranked in the US
#24
Oregon
Teen Pregnancy Rate
10.1%
Ranked in the US
#42
Sexual Health Curriculum
98%
Ranked in the US
#4
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
856
Ranked in the US
#13
Pennsylvania
Teen Pregnancy Rate
12.6%
Ranked in the US
#35
Sexual Health Curriculum
94.7%
Ranked in the US
#9
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
2,545
Ranked in the US
#5
Rhode Island
Teen Pregnancy Rate
9.4%
Ranked in the US
#44
Sexual Health Curriculum
90.8%
Ranked in the US
#20
South Carolina
Teen Pregnancy Rate
19.3%
Ranked in the US
#11
Sexual Health Curriculum
90.7%
Ranked in the US
#21
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
509
Ranked in the US
#25
South Dakota
Teen Pregnancy Rate
18.7%
Ranked in the US
#14
Sexual Health Curriculum
79.1%
Ranked in the US
#37
Tennessee
Teen Pregnancy Rate
23.3%
Ranked in the US
#7
Sexual Health Curriculum
86.7%
Ranked in the US
#30
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
847
Ranked in the US
#15
Texas
Teen Pregnancy Rate
22.4%
Ranked in the US
#9
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
5,147
Ranked in the US
#3
Utah
Teen Pregnancy Rate
10.8%
Ranked in the US
#40
Sexual Health Curriculum
90.7%
Ranked in the US
#22
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
377
Ranked in the US
#26
Vermont
Teen Pregnancy Rate
7%
Ranked in the US
#48
Sexual Health Curriculum
92.9%
Ranked in the US
#14
Virginia
Teen Pregnancy Rate
13.1%
Ranked in the US
#33
Sexual Health Curriculum
91.9%
Ranked in the US
#17
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
1,133
Ranked in the US
#12
Washington
Teen Pregnancy Rate
11.3%
Ranked in the US
#38
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
1,679
Ranked in the US
#9
West Virginia
Teen Pregnancy Rate
22.5%
Ranked in the US
#8
Sexual Health Curriculum
89.8%
Ranked in the US
#25
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
123
Ranked in the US
#37
Wisconsin
Teen Pregnancy Rate
11.5%
Ranked in the US
#37
Sexual Health Curriculum
94.5%
Ranked in the US
#10
Reported Abortions Among Adolescents
678
Ranked in the US
#20
Wyoming
Teen Pregnancy Rate
18.1%
Ranked in the US
#17