The Economics of Access to Youth Sports: Income Gradients, Geographic Variation, and the Participation Shortfall in U.S. National Survey Data

Abstract

Organized youth sports participation depends on families' ability to meet financial, transportation, and time costs. This study examines socioeconomic inequalities in U.S. youth sports participation using publicly available national survey estimates. The primary analysis uses the 2023 to 2024 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), covering youth ages 6 to 17. Supplementary analyses use the 2020 to 2021 NSCH and the 2020 National Health Interview Survey. In 2023 to 2024, 56.7% of youth participated in sports teams or lessons. Participation increased from 36.7% among families below the federal poverty threshold to 74.1% among those at or above 400% of that threshold, a 37.4-percentage-point gap and prevalence ratio of 2.02. State participation ranged from 46.3% to 70.9%. Using the 2020 to 2021 NSCH, Monte Carlo propagation of published uncertainty yielded a slope index of inequality of 46.6 percentage points (95% simulation interval: 43.5 to 49.6) and a relative inequality index of 2.59 (2.41 to 2.79). Comparing lower-income groups with the highest-income group's participation rate implied a descriptive shortfall of 8.23 million participants (7.66 to 8.80 million). Independent national survey estimates showed a similarly large income gap. These findings establish substantial economic stratification in youth sports access but do not identify causal effects of income or subsidies. They support considering policies that address participation fees alongside equipment, transportation, and program accessibility.

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