MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – This year’s Kids Count report shows a soaring teen and young adult unemployment rate.

The annual survey on kids’ well-being shows 16- to 24-year olds are finding it tough to get an entry-level job these days due to lingering effects of the recession and competition from older workers.

While young people in Minnesota are faring better than those in other states, Kids Count spokeswoman Laura Speer says their job prospects have declined dramatically from just a decade ago. She says in 2000, 63 percent of teens had a job, compared to just 42 percent today.

The report says these “disconnected youth” are facing difficult times ahead if they can’t find some financial stability, and taxpayers will pay the price as government spends more to support them.