MINNESOTA, USA — Having a baby is hopefully a joyful experience, but due to rising costs and other factors, welcoming a little one can be expensive and stressful.
WalletHub ranked the states from the best to worst places to have a baby, based on qualifiers like cost, healthcare, baby friendliness and family friendliness. Minnesota finished near the top of the list at No. 3.
Minnesota ranked high in family friendliness and health care, but the total cost of giving birth was more expensive. WalletHub reported that the state has the second-lowest health insurance premiums and the third-lowest maternal mortality rate, indicating a good level of care at the hospital.
Another positive factor is that Minnesota has a plethora of medical professionals, with a high numbers of nurse midwives, pediatricians, obstetricians and gynecologists.
As for our neighboring states, North Dakota ranks as the second-best state to have a baby with low birth cost and a high ranking of family friendliness and healthcare. Iowa landed at No. 11, South Dakota at No. 13 and Wisconsin at No. 22.
If Minnesota is among the best states to have a baby, which are the worst? WalletHub scored Mississippi and Alabama as the bottom two due to poor healthcare and low rankings in baby and family friendliness.