Having a baby can be one of the happiest experiences, as well as one of the most stressful. The expense adds to that stress, but it turns out, where you live can make a big difference in those medical bills. Expenses can significantly vary from state to state, and so can the quality of health care pregnant women receive, making some states better for having children than others.
A new report from WalletHub names the Best and Worst States to Have a Baby in 2023.
- They compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C. on 31 key measures related to having a baby in four main areas: cost, healthcare, baby friendliness and family friendliness.
- Based on those factors, Massachusetts is the best state to have a baby in 2023.
- It comes in first for family friendliness, second for healthcare and fourth for baby friendliness. It’s pretty pricey though, making it 42nd for cost.
- On the flip side, Mississippi comes in last, making it the worst state to have a baby. It’s 50th for both baby friendliness and family friendliness and 49th for healthcare.
The 10 Best States to Have a Baby
(Check out the full list here)
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Vermont
- Rhode Island
- North Dakota
- New Hampshire
- Iowa
- Utah
- Connecticut
- Washington
The 10 Worst States to Have a Baby
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- South Carolina
- Louisiana
- West Virginia
- Georgia
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Nevada
- Florida
Source: WalletHub