Minnesota is third best state to have a baby, WalletHub study finds
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota and North Dakota are among the top three best states to have a baby, according to a new study by WalletHub.
The personal finance website looked at 31 factors, including cost, health care accessibility and family- and baby-friendliness.
"The best states for having a baby minimize costs while providing top-notch care for both newborns and their mothers," said WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe. "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."
Massachessuets, North Dakota and Minnesota are ranked first, second and third, respectively. Minnesota's high rank is attributed to these factors:
- Second-lowest health insurance premiums in the U.S. ($337 per month)
- Third-lowest maternal mortality rate
- 10th-lowest infant mortality rate
- Seventh-most nurse midwives
- 13th-most obstetricians and gynecologists
- 12th-most pediatricians per capita
- 2nd-highest share of nationally-accredited child care centers
Massachusetts is hailed for having the nation's lowest infant mortality rate and the best neonatal hospitals, while North Dakota has the lowest cost for "a conventional delivery with no complications" and the second-lowest for a conventional birth.
The top three states are also the top three in another WalletHub study on the best states for raising a family.
Iowa was number 11 on the list, South Dakota was 13th and Wisconsin was ranked 22nd.
The three "worst" states to have a baby, according to WalletHub? South Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi.