articleThe Brief A new WalletHub study ranked the states where underprivileged children face the greatest challenges. Mississippi, West Virginia and Louisiana ranked as the three states with the most underprivileged children. A new WalletHub study highlights the disparities children face across the United States, ranking the states where underprivileged children experience the greatest hardships based on a range of economic, educational and health-related factors. The state also has the nation's highest rates of children in foster care and children living only with grandparents. LouisianaLouisiana ranks third for underprivileged children, with more than 25% living below the poverty line—the second-highest rate nationwide.