Having a baby can be one of the happiest milestones in someone’s life, but it can also be incredibly stressful, especially when it comes to the expense. It turns out, where you live can make a big difference in the cost and quality of healthcare you get, and new research highlights the places where it’s more ideal to welcome a baby.
- WalletHub’s annual ranking of the best and worst states to have a baby has just come out.
- They rated each state and Washington, D.C. on 31 metrics covering affordability, healthcare accessibility, and baby- and family-friendliness.
- They compared everything from the cost of delivering a baby at the hospital to the number of pediatricians per capita to parental leave policies.
- For the sixth year in a row, Massachusetts is the best state to have a baby. It’s number one for family-friendliness, second for both healthcare and baby-friendliness, and it has the best leave policies in the country for parents, but it can be pricey, landing at 39th for affordability.
- Louisiana, 41st overall, is number one for affordability; Vermont, eighth overall, is first for healthcare; and Washington, D.C. wins for baby-friendliness.
- Mississippi holds onto the title of worst state to have a baby, coming in last for healthcare and near the bottom in all categories.
The Top 10 Best States to Have a Baby
(Click here to see where your state lands on the list)
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- North Dakota
- Rhode Island
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Connecticut
- Vermont
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
The 10 Worst States to Have a Baby
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Florida
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Georgia
- Arkansas
- West Virginia
Source: WalletHub
PHOTO: GETTY