This Map Shows The Best — And Worst — States To Be A Working Dad
A new report shows that where you live can really influence what kind of support you have as a working dad.
If you’re a part of a modern family, you know that the days of having a dad who worked and a mom who stayed home to raise the kids and keep the house — a privilege even back then — are long gone. Much has changed in how dads and moms raise their children and run their homes. Research has shown that millennial dads spend way more time with their kids than their own dads did with them.
And now, new research from Wallethub has shown that where dads live can really influence what kind of support they have as a working dad from their workplace, state government, and more — and determined what the best states are for working dads and what states are the worst.
To find this out, they compared the 50 states plus the District of Columbia across four key dimensions determined as important for working dads. This included social and economic well-being, health, child care, and work-life balance.
The metrics included everything from median family income, unemployment rates, paternity leave policies, average commute time, quality of child care, access to child care, the average length of a work day for dads, and mental health supports. “Each of the metrics were graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions of working dads,” WalletHub explains.
Based on the weighted scores, WalletHub determined the worst states for working dads are:
10. Arizona
9. Oklahoma
8. South Carolina
7. Idaho
6. Alabama
5. Nevada
4. West Virginia
3. Mississippi
2. New Mexico
1. Louisiana — the worst state for working dads scored poorly in childcare, work-life balance, and health, but landed in the middle for social and economic well-being.
The darker the blue, the better the state is for working dads.
However, there are some standout states, too. These offer great support for working dads, according to WalletHub:
10. Illinois
9. Vermont
8. New Hampshire
7. Wisconsin
6. Rhode Island
5. New Jersey
4. Connecticut
3. District of Columbia
2. Minnesota
1. Massachusetts — the best state for working dads scored highest in work-life balance, followed by good scores in childcare, well-being, and health.
