Massachusetts tops the list among the best states for working mothers, study says

Maria Papadopoulos
·2 min read

Massachusetts tops the list among the best states for working mothers in the country, a new study has found.

And nearby Rhode Island ranked second on the list of “2024′s Best & Worst States for Working Moms,” released by the personal-finance website WalletHub on Monday.

WalletHub compared the attractiveness of each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia for a working mother based on 17 key metrics. The data set ranges from the median salary for women to the female unemployment rate to day-care quality.

“Working moms have to carefully balance career opportunities with factors that provide a good environment for their children when deciding where to live,” WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said in a statement. “The best states provide equitable pay for women and the potential for career advancement, along with robust parental leave policies and high-quality child care, health care, and schools. This gives working moms both the financial ability and the peace of mind to not have to choose between a career and family.”

The Bay State also scored first for “Parental-Leave Policy Score” and “Female Unemployment Rate” for local mothers, the study found.

However, the study found other areas needing improvement in Massachusetts, as it relates to mothers in the workforce, including “Gender pay gap” and “Daycare quality.”

Here are other rankings for “Life as a Working Mom in Massachusetts,” with 1=Best; 25=Average, according to the study:

  • Overall Rank: 1st

  • 17th – Daycare quality

  • 12th – Gender pay gap (Women’s earnings as percentage of men’s)

  • 18th – Ratio of female executives to male executives

  • 15th – Median women’s salary, adjusted for cost of living

  • 1st – Female unemployment rate

  • 1st – Parental-leave policy score

  • 8th – Average length of woman’s work week, in hours

  • 8th – Percentage of single-mother families in poverty

Vermont and Maine ranked No. 8 and No. 10 on the list among the best states for working mothers, the study found. New Hampshire came in at No. 16.

The three worst states in the country for working mothers were the southern states of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, which ranked No. 49, No. 50 and No. 51 on the list, respectively.

Last year, 74 percent of women with children participated in the labor force, according to WalletHub.

To view the full report, visit this website.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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