Best (and Worst) States for Giving Birth

WalletHub ranks the states by quality of life and resources available to new parents
By Gina Carey,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 10, 2024 10:00 AM CDT
Best & Worst States to Have a Baby
Massachusetts topped the list of best states to have a new baby.   (Getty / tatyana_tomsickova)

Where do new families in the US have it made? WalletHub ranked all 50 states (plus Washington, DC) according to 31 measures that make a difference to new parents, including costs, health care availability, and family friendliness. Massachusetts topped the list, and for good reasons. Along with having the lowest infant mortality rates, the Bay State boasts the best infant leave policies in the US. WalletHub's Cassandra Happe stressed the importance of states continuing "to be good environments for parents even long after the birth." Without further ado, the 10 best and worst states:

Best States to Have a Baby

  1. Massachusetts
  2. North Dakota
  3. Minnesota
  4. Rhode Island
  5. New Hampshire
  6. District of Columbia
  7. Maine
  8. Vermont
  9. Utah
  10. Washington

Worst States to Have a Baby

  1. Arkansas
  2. Oklahoma
  3. Louisiana
  4. West Virginia
  5. Nevada
  6. Georgia
  7. New Mexico
  8. South Carolina
  9. Alabama
  10. Mississippi
(New parents in Baltimore could get a $1k "baby bonus.")

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