10 Best and Worst States to Have a Baby

Babies bring lots of big decisions. Most notably, the choice on where to raise your little one. There are a lot of different factors that weigh in, like cost, health care accessibility and how baby and family friendly the region is. Luckily, WalletHub looked into the matter for you and tracked down the best (and worst) states for starting a family. Take a look at the findings below.

The Top 10 States to Have a Baby

1. Vermont
2. Massachusetts
3. Minnesota
4. New Hampshire
5. North Dakota
6. Connecticut
7. Colorado
8. Nebraska
9. District of Columbia
10. California

The Top 10 Worst States to Have a Baby

1. Mississippi

2. Alabama

3. South Carolina

4. Louisiana

5. Oklahoma

6. West Virginia

7. Georgia

8. Arkansas

9. New Mexico

10. Nevada

Wondering why the top 10 states are in a class of their own? The WalletHub survey makes a few major callouts. For starters, Vermont, the No. 1 state, has the lowest infant mortality rate, the highest number of pediatricians and childcare centers and the second largest number of midwives and ob-gyns. You can find out more about where your state falls, and why it landed its spot on the list in the full survey here.

If your state didn’t come out with flying colors, don’t pack up the moving van yet. More than anything, the survey highlights the many different expenses involved with having a baby, and is an important reminder for couples to get their finances in order before their baby makes a debut.