To determine the most ideal places in the US to have a baby, WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia on 31 key measures of health care cost and accessibility, as well as ease for baby and family , finding what Massachusetts and Mississippi are at the ends of the list.
The data set analyzed ranges from conventional hospital delivery costs to annual average child care costs and pediatricians per capita.
“Having a baby is a joyous and stressful occasion, but the stressful side is further amplified in 2023 as inflation drives the cost ever higher to add an additional member to the family,” says the WalletHub report.
According to the specialized finance site, one of the biggest expenses to take into account are medical bills, where the average conventional arrival of a baby in the US. It costs more than $2,600 with insurance, and without insurance it could cost almost $15,000..
The study shows that the costs of childbirth aren’t as hard on the wallet in some states as they are in others: “Expenses can vary significantly, considering the wide disparities in the cost of living. They may also differ from pregnancy to pregnancy, as some women experience complications during childbirth. However, there is more to think about than just the cost. Some states provide a better quality health care service and better settings to care for children”.
And to determine the best and worst states for having a baby, WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia. in four key dimensions:
Cost: Expenses for caesarean section or conventional delivery, nannies, etc.
Medical attention: Medical care for the baby and the mother, vaccines, specialists, etc.
Baby-Friendly: Parental leave, day care centers, state Medicaid policy, etc.
Family Friendly: Conditions for raising a family.
The study assessed those dimensions using 31 relevant metrics, on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for expectant parents and newborns.
The best states to have a baby:
State: (1) Massachusetts
Total score: 69.31
Cost: 42
Health care: 2
Kindness to baby: 4
Kindness to family: 1
State: (2) Minnesota
Total score: 67.86
Cost: 24
Health care: 4
Kindness to the baby: 10
Kindness to family: 2
State: (3) Vermont
Total score: 65.74
Cost: 36
Health care: 1
Kindness to baby: 26
Family friendliness: 5
State: (4)Rhode Island
Total score: 65.64
Cost: 33
Health care: 3
Kindness to baby: 2
Family friendliness: 11
State: (5) North Dakota
Total score: 64.21
Cost: 5
Health care: 20
Kindness to baby: 24
Family friendliness: 4
In counterpart:
State: (47) West Virginia
Total score: 33.28
Cost: 23
Health care: 45
Kindness to baby: 51
Family friendliness: 48
State: (48) Louisiana
Total score: 31.93
Cost: 1
Health care: 48
Kindness to baby: 47
Family friendliness: 47
State: (49) South Carolina
Total score: 30.24
Cost: 41
Health care: 47
Kindness to baby: 49
Family friendliness: 46
State: (50)Alabama
Total score: 27.71
Cost: 39
Health care: 51
Baby Kindness: 45
Kindness to family: 45
State: (51) Mississippi
Total score: 26.87
Cost: 20
Health care: 49
Baby Kindness: 50
Kindness to family: 50
For more details about the study and its methodology, click here.
Keep reading:
· States where it is easier or more difficult to be young in the United States
· US cities where inflation is affecting more
· Unemployment in the US: Which states are leading the economic recovery?
