A new report from WalletHub confirms what many New Mexicans have seen firsthand: the state is failing its young people. Ranking third in the nation for most at-risk youth, New Mexico continues to suffer from a toxic mix of academic decline, drug use, poverty, and youth disengagement. The study, which analyzed all 50 states and Washington, D.C., looked at 15 indicators of youth risk—from dropout rates to drug abuse—and found New Mexico near the bottom in nearly every category.
The state, ran almost exclusively by Democrats for nearly a century, ranked #1 for the percentage of youth without a high school diploma, and #7 for disconnected youth—those neither working nor in school. Combine that with a top-5 ranking in youth drug use and obesity, and it paints a bleak picture for the next generation. Despite numerous government programs and increasing education budgets, there appears to be little improvement in outcomes for the very people these systems claim to serve.
More troubling still is that New Mexico ranks #10 for youth poverty and #19 for youth homelessness, illustrating that despite years of increased funding for “anti-poverty” and “youth engagement” initiatives, many young people remain directionless and vulnerable. These aren’t just numbers—they represent a growing population of young Americans who are falling through the cracks, with very real consequences for the state’s future economic stability and social well-being.
The national average for disconnected youth stands around 13%, but in states like New Mexico and Louisiana—the latter of which ranked worst overall—the rate is even higher. The second-worst state was Mississippi. According to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, “A high share of youth who are not working, not getting education and generally stagnating in life can spell trouble for the future.”
While WalletHub’s panel of academic experts advocates for more “culturally relevant” programs, increased community engagement, and expanded social services, the evidence suggests that the ongoing expansion of bureaucracy and government involvement has only exacerbated the problem. With many of these initiatives focused more on political correctness than practical results, New Mexico’s youth are stuck in a system that offers plenty of ideology but few real-world skills or opportunities.
The reality is that young people don’t need more empty programming—they need clear expectations, strong families, and access to real job training and educational standards that prepare them for adult life. Parents, not agencies or activist nonprofits, remain the most crucial factor in ensuring that kids stay in school, find work, and build purpose in their lives. As one expert put it, “authoritative parenting”—a combination of support and discipline—is still the gold standard.
Rather than expanding failed programs or pushing new “youth empowerment” initiatives riddled with ideological jargon, New Mexico would do better by holding its institutions accountable and promoting individual responsibility, real academic achievement, and job readiness. Without a severe course correction, the state risks continuing this generational failure—one that leaves young people unprepared and taxpayers on the hook for the consequences.
View the full WalletHub report here.
who created these failing programs ? DEMOCRATS !! its the same every time. if you positively, absolutely, must have something destroyed put a democrat in charge. they deliver every time, at the highest cost and lowest postive outcome possible. keep voting D New Mexico !!
Parents do not want the responsibility of raising a child in this state; it is very clear. Have the kids to get it out of the way and the state can raise them. This has been the mentality here and in America for the last 100 years. The political parties take advantage of this to ensure their future, their pensions, their funding never goes away. Parents have an enormous responsibility and they have failed miserably here in NM and elsewhere. Parents keep their children enslaved here in poverty like its a righteous and moral obligation to the world; rather than encouraging them to do better. I was raised here, I can say these things because they are true and its never changing. No govt program will save the children; only true love from family and God is capable of this.
People say that kids today are worse than they were 50 or 100 years ago. I say no, kids are the same as they’ve ever been through out time.
Kids are no different than pets, they will test whatever boundries that are set. Consistent discipline with consistent consequences are the first step.
There is very little discipline or consequences in public schools. What makes it even worse is when a school does have to contact a parent, all to often that parent is in OCDC, or class at high school, or even middle school.
I’m originally from the midwest, and it was uncommon to see a grandparent in their early 40’s. I never saw a grandparent in their late 20’s or early 30’s until I moved to New Mexico.
There’s a massive problem with the schools in New Mexico, but there’s also a problem with the culture in New Mexico.
Mexico has all the resources of a first world country, but it’s culture keeps the majority of it in a 3rd world status, and that is the same culture that is prevalent in New Mexico.
People will say I’m racist for my comments but it’s not a race issue, it’s a culture issue. Race is hereditary, culture is learned.
We need to start teaching and living 1st world values.
you are right. people will always do what they can get away with. its easy to get away with things today. hence our current situation.
I agree with everything John said, I would include that kids today are being inundated with video games to babysit the children, no matter if they are at home or out to dinner in a restaurant. My kids had video games as little ones but they had chores and 4-H animals to take care of; parents need to be parents and guide their children so they can be productive citizens when they graduate. Video games and phones need to be limited, period. Have a blessed day!
Anyone who has taught or worked in the public school system knows that the problem is the progressive/liberal stranglehold on the education system that enables and keeps New Mexicans of all backgrounds down. It systematically keeps independent minded conservatives from having any meaningful part in the education system and denies New Mexicans anything resembling their traditional or conservative heritage. The liberal Catholic church leadership (liberal prots as well) has also done little historically to be a positive influence.
First the “state” created these problems by destroying the nuclear family. The “state” is neither democrat nor Republican, it is an evil cabal of demonic people who have been in power for many decades in America. Only fools think that voting one way or another is going to change that. Has it made a real difference so far? In NM as in Washington republicans and democrats come and go but the deep state remains.A meme I read said “no matter who you vote for president, you get Netanyahu”. As for the children, their demise has nothing to do with culture, if you sexuallize children at an early age you’ll end up with 40 y.o . grandparents. As one of the comments alluded that it is a “Mexican “ culture, I do believe that to be false. Almost a century of American culture has made Hispanic children just as vulnerable to the insane pedophile culture emanating from Washington. Voting harder May give you a warm fuzzy feeling but just remember when our next governor is a progressive, raging communist regardless of who you voted for . I’m not faulting people on this site for trying to improve NM but just research who really runs the country and maybe real change can be made.
I blame the Democrats and our Governor and state Democrats
DITTO
John, you hit the nail right on the head with your last two paragraphs. The solution is not to pour more money into failed social programs and government bureaucracies. It is to strengthen families and to teach our youth responsibility.