NC Child, a statewide non-profit, came prepared with statistics about children in New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick and Columbus counties.
They compiled data from multiple government agencies over several years to show where Cape Fear counties are succeeding — and lacking.
The data highlights the Black infant mortality rate — for every 1000 live births, roughly 13 Black babies die in infancy, compared to Hispanic babies at 5.8, and White babies at 4.8.
Pauline Hankins, District Court Juvenile Judge for Brunswick county, pointed to income disparities.
"The disparity in the numbers, that you have… The average income for Brunswick was like 60,000, but Columbus is 40,000," Hankins said.
She also asked about regional differences in insurance coverage, median income, and child delinquency rates.
One impact of income disparity is that relatively higher incomes in Pender County, driven by affluent retirees, have made it harder for officials to secure grant funding.
