With the average conventional birth costing over $2,600 for mothers with insurance and nearly $15,000 for mothers without insurance, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2025’s Best & Worst States to Have a Baby, as well as expert commentary.
To determine the most ideal places in the U.S. for parents and their newborns, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 31 key measures of cost, health care accessibility and baby-friendliness. The data set ranges from hospital conventional-delivery charges to annual average infant-care costs to pediatricians per capita.
| Best States to Have a Baby | Worst States to Have a Baby | |
| 1. Massachusetts | 42. West Virginia | |
| 2. North Dakota | 43. Oklahoma | |
| 3. Minnesota | 44. Florida | |
| 4. New Hampshire | 45. Arkansas | |
| 5. Maine | 46. New Mexico | |
| 6. Rhode Island | 47. Georgia | |
| 7. Vermont | 48. South Carolina | |
| 8. Washington | 49. Nevada | |
| 9. Iowa | 50. Alabama | |
| 10. District of Columbia | 51. Mississippi |
Best vs. Worst
- South Dakota has the lowest average annual cost for early child care, which is 3.5 times lower than in the District of Columbia, the highest.
- Alaska has the lowest share of childbirths with low birth weight, which is 1.9 times lower than in Mississippi, the highest.
- Delaware has the most obstetricians and gynecologists (per 100,000 residents), which is 13.8 times more than in Louisiana, the fewest.
- Massachusetts has the highest parental leave policy score, 160, while 9 states, such as Alabama, Michigan and South Dakota, tie for the lowest at 0.
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/
“The best states for having a baby minimize costs while providing top-notch care for both newborns and their mothers. 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.”
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“Massachusetts is the best state to have a baby, in large part because it has the third-lowest infant mortality rate in the country and the eighth-lowest maternal mortality rate. Massachusetts also has the sixth-lowest food-insecurity rate for children and the second-highest share of children under three years old with all seven recommended vaccines. In addition, after giving birth in Massachusetts, you can benefit from the best parental leave policies in the nation.”
- Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst
Expert Commentary
What can local authorities do to make their cities more baby friendly?
“I believe one of the most important actions local authorities can take to support children is to prioritize the wellbeing of the primary caregiver. This requires a comprehensive, multi-level approach that addresses the entire person – from family-friendly work policies that enable parents to balance their responsibilities, affordable childcare, to creating physical environments that are safe, accessible, and inviting. Additionally, fostering a community culture that promotes social support for new parents is essential. Over the course of human history, children have been raised by family networks and larger communities. In current day society, where children are solely the responsibility of the nuclear family, the burden is immense, unhealthy, and maladaptive. City authorities and policy makers have the power to change the culture of raising children in their cities and towns.”
Stacey N. Doan, Ph.D – Professor; Director, Berger Institute for Individual and Social Development, Claremont McKenna College
“Local and state governments can make cities more baby friendly by making them more family friendly. That is, folks could be advocating and voting for legislation that prioritizes the needs of young children as well as other members of their larger family system. From an urban planning perspective, this could include safe, walkable and/or accessible spaces that are engaging and promote intergenerational pro-social interaction. These could look like more green spaces, playgrounds, and natural areas accessible to all; prioritization of low-speed driving zones and pedestrian and bike-friendly lanes, and wheel-friendly safe crossings near places where families live, work, and play. At a macro level, state and federal policy that ensures access to affordable housing is critical, as well as affordability of high-quality childcare options. Folks might be surprised how local zoning laws could restrict (for example) the development of childcare facilities in some parts of town, particularly in underserved areas – voting for shifts in those types of restrictions could bring quality care to communities that need them most. Funding to subsidize both housing and childcare would make a big difference for families with children. States that best serve children also often have stronger performance on paid family and medical leave policies, and clear and accessible support to subsidize healthcare for children and other vulnerable members of our families.”
Bethany Willis, PhD, CFLE – Associate Professor; President of the Mid-Atlantic Council on Family Relations, Towson University
What makes low-income children in some cities do better than those in other cities?
“Low-income children in some cities do better, essentially because they have protective factors that range from social capital/support, safer neighborhoods, and great schools that buffer the detrimental impacts of poverty.”
Stacey N. Doan, Ph.D – Professor; Director, Berger Institute for Individual and Social Development, Claremont McKenna College
“Public programs that provide education and childcare significantly impact wellbeing. Programs like HeadStart are shown to consistently address and lessen gaps in the preschool age range, setting all students up for the same success as their peers in higher income families. Threats to these types of programs can have long-acting negative consequences on the children and families who need them, even if those gaps only last a few years. We know that childhood deficits can have long term adverse effects on development, and supporting those children and families early makes a big difference.”
Megan Kuykendoll, MS, CFLE – Certified Family Life Educator, eLearning Coordinator & Instructor, Miami University
What is driving the downward trend in the U.S. birth rate?
“One of the most influential reasons why we see a downward trend is the cost. And by cost, I am referring to financial, time, and resources. Parents today spend more money on extracurriculars, schools, experiences - they also spend more time than parents did in the 60s. Parents want their children to succeed, they perceive a future of intense competition and want to prepare their children. At the same time, parents want to prioritize and spend time with their children. They are also considering lifestyle and careers. A calculation is being made, and for most parents, less is more.”
Stacey N. Doan, Ph.D – Professor; Director, Berger Institute for Individual and Social Development, Claremont McKenna College
“There are many, many factors that can contribute to birth rate changes, including felt sense of safety, stressors, political climates, job prospects, and neighborhood accessibility. Keep in mind that these trends need to be analyzed to consider access to birth control as well as fertility treatments, because not all people with the capacity to have children are wanting to parent and not all those who want to parent are able to conceive on their own. When we are focusing on those who have access to reliable birth control methods and are trying to decide if and when to have children, stress and overall well-being metrics can impact those decisions. It can be hard to imagine choosing to have a child at a time and in an environment where healthcare access, economic/educational prospects, and access to safe foods are all under attack by the current administration, even for families with the means and ability to do so.”
Megan Kuykendoll, MS, CFLE – Certified Family Life Educator, eLearning Coordinator & Instructor, Miami University
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