2020's Best and Worst States for Working Moms
The moment we have all been waiting for is here! Wallet Hub has released their annual Best and Worst States for Working Moms list and Massachusetts has not been dethroned, coming in at #1 again with the highest overall score of 68.22%.
In order for Wallet Hub to identify the best and worst states for working moms, they compare all 50 states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions:
Child Care
Professional Opportunities
Work-Life Balance
Then they evaluate those three dimensions listed above using a 17 key metric system graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable. Once that is complete, Wallet Hub determines each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate overall score for ranking.
This is one of Working Momkind’s favorite reports to share each year, because while every employer, location, and situation is different, there is absolutely no excuse as to why states like Louisiana should be ranking last with an overall score of 27.57%. No matter where a mother lives, she should have the same type of support and opportunity as the mothers living in states like Massachusetts.
This report also offers a macro view of what working moms are really up against across the United States. From paying for childcare tuition that is as much as another mortgage, to having to work 24/7 just to get a promotion or a raise, and currently experiencing a higher unemployment rate compared to men.
I mean, at the end of the day we are just trying to do our best— you know, achieve our goals/dreams and raise a family? We aren’t asking for much here.
Did your state make the top 10? If not, do you feel the overall score reflects your experience?
Here are the top 10:
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Vermont
Connecticut
District of Columbia
New Jersey
Rhode Island
Maine
New Hampshire
Wisconsin
Did You Know?
Women make up nearly half of the US workforce
70% of women with children under 18 years old work
Millennials are the largest generation in the US labor force and 17.3 million are mothers
Currently, unemployment is rising faster for women than it is for men
“Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, and nearly 70 percent of moms with children under age 18 were working in 2019. Unfortunately, those numbers are decreasing in 2020, as data shows that during the coronavirus pandemic, unemployment is rising faster for women than it is for men, which begs the question of whether women are being targeted for layoffs as a result of sexism or if they just are more likely to work in highly-affected industries.”
— John S Kiernan, Wallet Hub Managing Editor
