With Mother’s Day around the corner and 74% of mothers with children under 18 participating in the workforce in 2025, personal finance company WalletHub has released its 2026 report ranking the best and worst states for working moms.

To determine which states provide the most support for working mothers, WalletHub evaluated all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 17 key metrics. These include factors such as median earnings for women, female unemployment rates, and the availability and quality of child care.

Best States for Working Moms	Worst States for Working Moms
1. Connecticut	42. Idaho
2. Massachusetts	43. Texas
3. Rhode Island	44. West Virginia
4. New Jersey	45. South Carolina
5. Vermont	46. Arizona
6. Maine	47. Nevada
7. Minnesota	48. Mississippi
8. District of Columbia	49. New Mexico
9. New York	50. Alabama
10. North Dakota	51. Lousiana

Connecticut

Connecticut ranks as the best place for working moms, and it had some of the lowest unemployment rates for women last year, at just 2.7%. In addition, Connecticut has a small gender pay gap, with women earning over 89% of what men make, the fourth-highest rate in the country, highlighting the state’s commitment to pay equity and economic opportunities for women.

Connecticut is great when it comes to childcare. It ranks among the top states when it comes to day care quality and the share of child care centers that are nationally accredited.

Best vs. Worst

• South Dakota has the lowest child-care costs as a share of the median women’s salary, which is 1.9 times lower than in New York, the highest.
   
• North Dakota has the highest number of childcare workers per 1,000 children younger than 14, which is eight times higher than in Washington, the lowest.
   
• Iowa has the highest ratio of female executives to male executives, which is 3.9 times higher than in Utah, the lowest.
   
• New Hampshire has the lowest share of single-mom families with children younger than 18 in poverty, which is two times lower than in Louisiana, the highest.

What can companies do to help working parents balance their home and work life?

Options to work remotely (at least on occasion). If companies have team-building gatherings or social events, hold them during work hours instead of after work or on the weekends. Paid sick leave that they can use for caring for a sick child. Options to bring children to work in case of school closures due to weather, or on-site childcare. – Patty Kuo, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln; Child, Youth & Family Studies; Director, Nebraska Strong Families Lab; Coordinator, Human Development & Family Science; Associate Editor, Family Process