A New York Health Foundation data brief examines a decade of early childhood vaccination trends, including differences in completion rates by age, race and ethnicity, and county.

September 8, 2026, New York, NY: New data analysis from the New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) released today shows that from 2013 to 2023, early childhood vaccination completion rates increased across New York State. The analysis also finds that more children completed the recommended vaccine series later than advised, and that substantial disparities persisted across counties and racial and ethnic groups.

The brief, Early Childhood Vaccination in New York 2013-2023: Progress, Disparities, and the Path Ahead, analyzes New York State Immunization Information System data and examines completion of the combined 7-vaccine series at age two (on time) and age five (delayed).

"New York made real progress for a decade though some children completed the series later than recommended and racial inequities persisted," said David Sandman, President and CEO of the New York Health Foundation. "This baseline shows where New York stood before the federal administration began undermining vaccine confidence and science-based guidance. When national leadership retreats, states must step up. New York is up to the challenge."

Key findings include:

• From 2013 to 2023, vaccination completion rates increased by 14 percent at age two and by 22 percent at age five.
• The gap between completion rates at ages two and five widened from 10.7 percentage points in 2013 to 17.4 percentage points in 2023, suggesting that more children completed the vaccine series later than recommended.
• Racial and ethnic disparities persisted. In 2023, Asian, Black, and Hispanic children had lower vaccination completion rates than white children at both ages two and five.
• Vaccination completion rates varied substantially across counties. In 2023, rates at age two ranged from 32 percent in Rockland County to 78 percent in Warren County.

Recent federal changes have increased uncertainty for families and clinicians. The brief explores opportunities for New York to protect evidence-based vaccine standards, strengthen coordination and data systems, expand trusted community outreach, and make vaccination more accessible, including by allowing trained medical assistants to administer vaccines.

The full brief is available here.

Contact: Anna King, Communications Officer: [email protected]

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About the New York Health Foundation
The New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) is a private, statewide foundation dedicated to improving the health of all New Yorkers, especially people of color and others who have been historically marginalized. The Foundation is committed to making grants, informing health policy and practice, spreading effective programs to improve the health care system and the health of New Yorkers, serving as a convener of health leaders across the State, and providing technical assistance to its grantees and partners.