Vermont Named Best for Working Moms in New Study

Happy (early) Mother's Day! A new ranking takes a look at the best and worst states for working mothers this year, based on work-life balance, professional opportunities, and child care.

Of the top 10 best states for working moms, the Northeast had the most. Number one state Vermont was third for child care, first in professional opportunities, and fifth for work-life balance, in WalletHub's ranking. Nearby Rhode Island had the number one ranking for work-life balance, and was sixth overall. Minnesota, second best for working moms, was the only state in the top 10 not in the Northeast. The Gopher State was best overall in child care, which includes day-care quality and cost metrics.

Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, and more than 70 percent of moms with young children are working. Yet women earned only 82 percent of what men made in 2017 and have far less upward mobility, as evidenced by the fact that only 5.2 percent of S&P 500 companies’ chief executives are female. Such obvious inequality sparks debates about gender roles in a shifting socioeconomic environment. Workplace inequality brings up not just financial questions but also deeply ingrained social issues. For instance, should women have to choose between career and family?

Read more