Alabama is the worst state in the nation when it comes to child homelessness.

A study released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness looked at a number of factors that go along with the issue, including the risk of homelessness, the well-being of homeless children and state efforts to help fix the problem.

The group then ranked states according to their performance in preventing child homelessness.

In general, America's southern states fared poorly in the study, making up six of the nation's top 10 states with a child homelessness problem.

Officials at the Salvation Army in Birmingham say they're seeing more homeless kids each year.

The National Center on Family Homelessness said each year one in every 45 children -- or about 1.6 million -- will experience homelessness.