(WTNH) — If you are a working mom did you know that Connecticut may be one of the best states to live in? The website Wallethub ranks Connecticut the third best state in the nation for working moms.
Wallethub wanted to take a closer look at workplace inequality. Women do not make as much money as men do and they can face social pressure, sometimes feeling like they must choose between having a career and a family.
The website found that states are making progress at different rates. Legal-support systems, like parental leave policies, differ from state to state. How easily parents find affordable day care and good public schools often depends on where they live.
Wallethub compared all 50 states plus the District of Columbia in three different categories: child care, professional opportunities and work-life balance. It factored in child care quality and costs, as well as the gender pay gap, unemployment rates and the percentage of families living in poverty.
Tricia Kelly is the Associate Director for the Center for Women & Business at Quinnipiac University. She’s also a mom. She agrees that Connecticut is a great state for working mothers.
“I worked part time when my children were small,” she said. “Just having those opportunities for women to try to balance family and life is very important.”
The website found that Connecticut ranked third, after Vermont and Minnesota. In the work-life balance category, Connecticut was number one. It also found that a state’s political leaning matters too. It looked at how states voted in the 2012 presidential election. The website found the “blue” states to be friendlier to working moms.
Wallethub ranked Nevada as the worst state in the country for working mothers.
“I think it’s a work in progress,” said Kelly. “I think some of our larger corporations are starting to set the direction, and I think that’s important.”
Visit this link for the full Wallethub report: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-working-moms/3565/.
