Health

New survey finds Mass. is the best place to have a baby

Five New England states ranked in the top 10 best places to have a baby.

August 13, 2023

1 minute to read

The Bay State is the best place in the nation for families planning to have a baby, according to a new report.

WalletHub’s 2023 Best & Worst States to Have a Baby found that Massachusetts is the most ideal state in the U.S. to have a baby when it comes to birthing costs, healthcare, and family friendliness. Four other New England states came in shortly behind Massachusetts, with Vermont, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut all making the top 10 best states for infants and parents.

Source: WalletHub

As part of the study, researchers compared 31 key measures of cost and healthcare accessibility, as well as baby- and family-friendliness in all 50 states. Their data set ranged from hospital conventional-delivery charges to annual average infant-care costs to pediatricians per capita.

Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for expectant parents and newborns. Researchers determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and ranking.

Massachusetts ranked number one, with a total score of 69, followed by Minnesota, Vermont, Rhode Island, and North Dakota, respectively.

Massachusetts excelled in OBGYN availability and prenatal care access, but fell short in average annual cost of early child care. The report also found that Massachusetts had the third lowest infant mortality rate in the nation. The state ranked fourth for baby-friendliness, first for family-friendliness, second for healthcare, and 42nd for baby-related costs.

“Having a baby is both a joyful and stressful occasion — but the stress side is more amplified in 2023 as inflation pushes the cost of adding an extra family member higher and higher. One of the biggest expenses to keep in mind is medical bills,” the report said.

According to WalletHub, the average conventional delivery in the U.S. costs over $2,600 with insurance, and without insurance it could cost nearly $15,000.

Mississippi came in as the worst state in the nation to welcome a little one, with an overall score of 26.87. Though it did have the lowest average annual infant care costs, Mississippi also had the highest infant mortality rate.