Best and Worst States to Have a Baby

With September being the most popular month to have a baby and the United States having the most expensive birthing costs in the world, the leading personal finance social network WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2014’s Best and Worst States to Have a Baby.

To enlighten expectant parents on the costs and conditions they can anticipate with respect to where they live, WalletHub examined 22 key metrics such as delivery costs, access to pediatric services and the number of child care centers per capita.
 

	Best States to Have a Baby			Worst States to Have a Baby
	1	Vermont		42	North Carolina
	2	Maine		43	West Virginia
	3	Oregon		44	Georgia
	4	Connecticut		45	New York
	5	New Hampshire		46	Nevada
	6	Wyoming		47	Pennsylvania
	7	Iowa		48	South Carolina
	8	Massachusetts		49	Mississippi
	9	Alaska		50	Louisiana
	10	Utah		51	Alabama

Key Stats

• The average annual infant care costs in the District of Columbia are 4 times higher than in Mississippi.
   
• The infant death rate in Mississippi is 3 times higher than in Alaska.
   
• The number of child centers per capita in Vermont is 9 times higher than in Utah.
   
• The rate of low birth weight in Mississippi is 2 times higher than in Alaska.

• The number of OB-GYNs per capita in District of Columbia is 9 times higher than in West Virginia.

• California has the best parental leave policies, whereas 17 states tied for the worst.

• The number of pediatricians per capita in the District of Columbia is 92 times higher than in Pennsylvania.

For the full report and to see where your city ranks, please visit:
http://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-to-have-a-baby/6513/