2002 Kids Count Report
Dorchester County
In order for South Carolina to improve its ranking, each county must make progress. The following table for the county shows the county's rank if it were a state, the required reduction to reach the national average, the current problem rate, and the county rate ratioed to the US problem rate:
| Indicators | Rate | Rank of County if it were a State | Reduction to reach US Average # | Current Number* | Current Rate* | Rate: County/US Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Birthweight Babies | (%) | 43 | 13 | 102 | 8.7 | 1.14 |
| Infant Mortality Rate | Per 1,000 | 49 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 1.41 |
| Child Death Rate | Per 100,000 | 21 | ** | 5 | 23.4 | 0.98 |
| Violent Teen Deaths (15-19) | Per 100,000 | 50 | 3 | 6 | 101.5 | 1.92 |
| Teen Birth Rate (15-17) | Per 1,000 | 30 | ** | 52 | 27.4 | 0.94 |
| Idle Teens (16-19) | (%) | 44 | 121 | 495 | 10.6 | 1.27 |
| Kids in Poverty | (%) | 26 | ** | 3,096 | 11.4 | 0.64 |
| Kids w/Single Parent | (%) | 25 | 247 | 6,771 | 27.1 | 1.04 |
*Average 1998-2000 data except Idle Teens (1990 data) and Kids w/Single Parent and Kids in Poverty (2000 data).
**County is at or below national average already.
***Improvement required is less than 0.5.