Is California one of the worst states to have a baby in US? See where it ranked
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California is one of the most expensive states in the nation to start a family, according to WalletHub.
The personal finance site ranked the best places in the United States to have a baby, analyzing all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., based on birthing costs, health care accessibility and other factors.
Each location was then awarded a score, with 100 indicating the best possible conditions for parents and newborns.
“The best states for having a baby minimize costs while providing top-notch care for both newborns and their mothers,” WalletHub Analyst Cassandra Happe wrote in an article titled “Best & Worst States to Have a Baby (2024).”
“They also continue to be good environments for parents even long after the birth, with high-quality pediatric care, affordable and accessible child care and a strong economic environment that makes providing for a child easier,” she said.
Here’s where California and other spots around the
Is California a good state to start a family?
WalletHub ranked California 30th out of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., for having a baby, with an overall score of 47.67 out of 100.
California had the highest birthing costs in the United States, and ranked high in terms of hospital charges for conventional and caesarean deliveries.
The Golden State ranked 10th in terms of health care accessibility, 23rd for baby-friendliness and 27th for family-friendliness.
What are the best US states for having a baby?
According to WalletHub, Massachusetts is the best state to have a baby.
The Bay State received an overall score of 73.12 out of 100, due to its low infant and maternal mortality rates, top neonatal hospitals and low food insecurity for households with infants.
Massachusetts also boasts high vaccination rates, excellent leave policies for newborn parents and Medicaid-covered parenting programs, the site said.
North Dakota ranked second on WalletHub’s list.
The state had the lowest delivery and babysitting costs, many childcare centers and ranked second for raising a family.
Minnesota came in third place, thanks to its low health insurance premiums and low maternal and infant mortality rates. It also has a high number of medical professionals and childcare centers.
These are the top 10 best states and districts for those having a baby, according to WalletHub:
- Massachusetts
- North Dakota
- Minnesota
- Rhode Island
- New Hampshire
Washington, D.C.
- Maine
- Vermont
- Utah
- Washington
What are the worst places in the US to give birth?
Mississippi is the worst state in the country to give birth, WalletHub said, receiving an overall score of 28.58 out of 100.
It ranked the lowest in the nation for health care.
Mississipp was No. 28 in the United States in terms of the cost to have a baby, No. 44 for baby-friendliness and No. 49 for family-friendliness, according to WalletHub.
WalletHub said these are the top 10 worst states for those having a baby:
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- South Carolina
- New Mexico
- Georgia
- Nevada
- West Virginia
- Louisiana
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
How did WalletHub come up with its findings?
To determine the best places in the United States to have a baby, WalletHub compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C., across 31 key metrics including cost, health care accessibility and baby-friendliness.
Other metrics include a range of factors, from hospital delivery charges to average annual infant-care costs.
The data used to create this ranking were collected as of July 8 from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and Association of Public Health Laboratories.
This story was originally published August 7, 2024 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Is California one of the worst states to have a baby in US? See where it ranked."
