20 worst states for working moms

Working moms face the burden of balancing work and home life, and it takes support in both places to create holistic success. But moms across the country have very different experiences and challenges striking that balance, as policies vary significantly state by state. 

Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, and a majority (74%) of moms with children under 18 years old were working in 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And yet, workplace issues such as lower pay for women and a lack of advancement and leadership opportunities persist.

Working moms also face issues with parental leave policies and legal support systems, which vary by location. WalletHub recently ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia to find the best and worst locations for working moms, based on 17 metrics — including factors such as child care availability and cost, professional opportunities and work-life balance — to create a score out of 100.

"Working mothers have consistently asked for more equitable and supportive workplaces,"  said Dr. Alicia D. Bonaparte, professor at Pitzer College, in a WalletHub release. "At the onset of the pandemic, child care subsidies overwhelmingly assisted working mothers and parents; however, the reduction or elimination of such policies may once again lead back to working moms and other working parents leaving the workforce."

Read more: 20 best states for working moms

Alabama was named the worst state for working moms, with the lowest total score of just 31.5 with low rankings in child care and professional opportunities for working moms. The state struggles with work-life balance, due to a combination of poor parental leave policies and long workweeks for women. Alabama also ranked in the bottom five in factors including daycare systems and female executive-to-male executive ratios. 

Other states at the end of the list include Louisiana, which has a high gender pay gap, and Mississippi, which also ranked poorly in work-life balance. These bottom three states paint the struggles that many moms in the southern region of the nation face, which is in contrast to the northeastern region of the country, which is home to a cluster of top-scoring locales. 

Massachusetts is the best state for working moms, according to this ranking, with one of the lowest unemployment rates for women last year at just 2.8%, as well as some of the best parental-leave policies and public schools in the country. Massachusetts is also one of the best for working from home, granting moms coveted flexibility. 

Read more: 'Finding your village': This coaching platform helps working parents connect 

While helpful state policies are beneficial for working moms, it is important for companies to also understand the needs of their employees who are mothers to further assist them, allowing them to thrive both in the workplace and at home. Families are unique and require different needs; by understanding this, companies can be more supportive.

"Companies must understand that not all families have the same structure," Cassandra D. Chaney, professor at Louisiana State University, said in WalletHub's report. "In essence, this means that companies must understand that single parents with little or no support will invariably function differently than a single-parent home with many supports, or a two-parent home with many supports. This means that families with less external support need greater support from their places of employment."

Read more about the worst states for working moms below.