Child poverty is on the rise in the U.S. as evidenced by a recent report by the U.S. Census showing that one in three poor Americans are children; reaching 16.4 million over the last decade, including 7.4 million living in extreme poverty. A graphic created by Remapping the Debate shows how the number of poor children in the U.S. measures up against statewide populations -- and the end result is quite dramatic.

A mere four states in the U.S., California, Texas, New York, and Florida, have populations greater than the national figure for child poverty. The population of Illinois, 12.8 million, falls directly beneath the national child poverty level, having 3.6 million fewer residents than the number of poor children in America. A recent report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that child poverty grew about 18 percent over the last decade, with 38 states, including Illinois, seeing child poverty increase during that period. 

A second graph shows the startling child poverty figures when broken down by race. More than 4 million Black, non-Hispanic children live in poverty, with the group's poverty rate reaching an astounding 39 percent in 2010. For Hispanics of any race, the child poverty rate is almost as high at 35 percent, with more than 6 million children living in poverty. The poverty rate for Asian children was just over 14 percent and was more than 12 percent for Whites in 2010.  

Click here for a look at the comparison chart and graph by Remapping the Debate.