Connecticut ranks among best states for working moms

WalletHub has ranked the best and worst states for working moms and Connecticut ranks high among the best states.

WalletHub said they compared the attractiveness of each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia for a working mother based on 17 key metrics and Connecticut ranks second.

The ranking takes into account a variety of factors, from the median salary for women to the female unemployment rate to day-care quality.

How Connecticut ranks for working moms

With one being the best and 25 being average, here is a look at how Connecticut ranks on several categories.

2: Overall Rank
6: Day-Care Quality
18: Pediatricians per Capita
9: Gender Pay Gap (Women’s Earnings as % of Men’s)
25: Ratio of Female Executives to Male Executives
25: Median Women’s Salary (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
1: Female Unemployment Rate
8: Parental-Leave Policy Score
9: Average Length of Woman’s Work Week (in Hours)
15: % of Single-Mom Families in Poverty

“Working moms have to carefully balance career opportunities with factors that provide a good environment for their children when deciding where to live. The best states provide equitable pay for women and the potential for career advancement, along with robust parental leave policies and high-quality child care, health care, and schools. This gives working moms both the financial ability and the peace of mind to not have to choose between a career and family,” Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, said in a statement.  

10 best states for working moms

1. Massachusetts
2. Connecticut
3. Rhode Island
4. District of Columbia
5. Maine
6. Minnesota
7. Vermont 
8. Wisconsin
9. New Jersey
10. New York      

10 worst states for working moms

51. Louisiana
50. Alabama
49. Nevada
48. Mississippi
47. New Mexico
46. South Carolina
45. Arizona
44. West Virginia
43. Idaho 
42. Oklahoma 

What are some key drivers to attract, retain and support working parents?

“Flexibility. This can mean location and hours (such as options to work 30 instead of 40 hours with commensurate compensation). Access to childcare. Wages and benefits that exceed the cost of childcare,” Patty Kuo, director of the Nebraska Strong Families Lab; coordinator, Human Development & Family Science; Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, said in a statement.

WalletHub said Connecticut has some of the lowest unemployment rates for women last year, at just 2.7%, and a small gender pay gap, with women earning more than 88% of what men make, which is the seventh-highest rate in the country.

The study also found that Connecticut ranks among the top states when it comes to day care quality and the share of child care centers that are nationally accredited.

The state also has very good parental-leave policies and is among the best places in the country for working from home, according to WalletHub.

“A key driver is the culture of the workplace. Adding flexibility should not cause tension between employees with children and those without. There should be transparency about how this flexibility works (e.g., the parent works in the evenings to make up the hours) and how it supports the overall mission of the company. Also, there should be understanding that this flexibility is needed for only a limited time. Parental employees who are treated well will in turn help foster a supportive atmosphere for those coming into the company,” Dr. Grace Huang, a professor at St. Lawrence University, said in a statement.