Fatherhood is a responsibility which changes over time. Back in 1960, 75% of American families relied on a single income, that of the dad, who spent much of his week at work while mom stayed home with the kids. Now, 69.3% of married mothers work, and while that’s still quite a bit lower than the 93.5% of married fathers who do, the gap is closing.
The contemporary dad no longer fits neatly into the standard of the married breadwinner and disciplinarian. That’s been especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, where many fathers have temporarily or permanently switched to working from home and have taken on more childcare duties as a result.
Not all working dads are in the same situation, though. Those who live in states with greater economic opportunity and quality of life have it better than others.
In order to determine the best states for men who play a dual role of parent and provider, WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia across 23 key indicators of friendliness toward working fathers. Our data set ranges from the average length of the work day for males to child-care costs to the share of men in good or better health.
Main Findings
Best States for Working Dads
| Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Economic & Social Well-Being | Work-Life Balance | Child Care | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 69.53 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 65.12 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 64.79 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 7 |
| 4 | Connecticut | 64.39 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 3 |
| 5 | New Jersey | 61.22 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 13 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 61.00 | 29 | 2 | 7 | 8 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 58.99 | 8 | 15 | 10 | 15 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 58.66 | 2 | 24 | 5 | 19 |
| 9 | Vermont | 57.95 | 27 | 9 | 8 | 14 |
| 10 | Illinois | 57.91 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 20 |
| 11 | New York | 57.17 | 39 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
| 12 | Maryland | 56.05 | 12 | 19 | 16 | 11 |
| 13 | North Dakota | 55.73 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 16 |
| 14 | Virginia | 55.21 | 5 | 35 | 12 | 21 |
| 15 | Washington | 54.17 | 22 | 3 | 35 | 9 |
| 16 | Iowa | 53.62 | 10 | 17 | 26 | 10 |
| 17 | Nebraska | 52.34 | 14 | 22 | 27 | 17 |
| 18 | Maine | 51.73 | 33 | 13 | 15 | 31 |
| 19 | Kansas | 51.17 | 17 | 28 | 21 | 27 |
| 20 | South Dakota | 50.96 | 18 | 32 | 19 | 24 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | 49.79 | 13 | 41 | 28 | 22 |
| 22 | Hawaii | 48.31 | 48 | 8 | 32 | 1 |
| 23 | Indiana | 48.24 | 23 | 38 | 18 | 38 |
| 24 | Missouri | 48.18 | 16 | 23 | 29 | 40 |
| 25 | Ohio | 48.09 | 9 | 31 | 37 | 35 |
| 26 | Montana | 47.43 | 37 | 12 | 31 | 26 |
| 27 | Utah | 47.29 | 25 | 42 | 23 | 18 |
| 28 | Colorado | 47.28 | 21 | 26 | 34 | 12 |
| 29 | Delaware | 47.24 | 24 | 49 | 14 | 29 |
| 30 | Wyoming | 46.78 | 19 | 44 | 24 | 34 |
| 31 | Oregon | 46.66 | 47 | 6 | 39 | 23 |
| 32 | Tennessee | 46.44 | 26 | 47 | 11 | 44 |
| 33 | Michigan | 46.13 | 20 | 40 | 33 | 25 |
| 34 | Kentucky | 44.74 | 31 | 33 | 22 | 45 |
| 35 | North Carolina | 42.80 | 30 | 30 | 38 | 32 |
| 36 | Florida | 42.75 | 46 | 37 | 19 | 37 |
| 37 | Alaska | 42.67 | 36 | 21 | 40 | 30 |
| 38 | California | 42.20 | 50 | 4 | 51 | 6 |
| 39 | Texas | 41.31 | 28 | 51 | 25 | 42 |
| 40 | Georgia | 40.00 | 34 | 50 | 30 | 39 |
| 41 | Arkansas | 39.32 | 41 | 16 | 42 | 46 |
| 42 | Arizona | 37.63 | 45 | 29 | 45 | 33 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | 37.59 | 42 | 36 | 36 | 49 |
| 44 | South Carolina | 36.98 | 38 | 43 | 44 | 43 |
| 45 | Idaho | 35.82 | 40 | 39 | 50 | 28 |
| 46 | Alabama | 35.45 | 32 | 45 | 48 | 47 |
| 47 | Nevada | 35.27 | 49 | 27 | 47 | 36 |
| 48 | West Virginia | 33.78 | 44 | 34 | 46 | 51 |
| 49 | Mississippi | 33.75 | 43 | 48 | 43 | 50 |
| 50 | New Mexico | 33.54 | 51 | 25 | 41 | 41 |
| 51 | Louisiana | 33.19 | 35 | 46 | 49 | 48 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
- Lowest Costs
- 1. Mississippi
- 2. South Dakota
- 3. Missouri
- 4. South Carolina
- 5. Illinois
- Highest Costs
- 46. Washington
- 47. California
- 48. New Mexico
- 49. Nevada
- 50. Nebraska
- Lowest %
- 1. New Hampshire
- 2. Massachusetts
- 3. Maryland
- 4. North Dakota
- 5. Connecticut
- Highest %
- 47. Arkansas
- 48. Arizona
- 49. Kentucky
- 50. West Virginia
- 51. New Mexico
- Highest Income
- 1. District of Columbia
- 2. Virginia
- 3. Minnesota
- 4. New Jersey
- 5. Illinois
- Lowest Income
- 47. Maine
- 48. California
- 49. Nevada
- 50. New Mexico
- 51. Hawaii
- Lowest Rate
- T-1. Utah
- T-1. South Dakota
- T-1. Nebraska
- T-1. North Dakota
- T-1. Virginia
- Highest Rate
- 47. Rhode Island
- 48. Nevada
- 49. New Mexico
- 50. Alaska
- 51. West Virginia
- Lowest Rate
- 1. Massachusetts
- 2. Hawaii
- 3. District of Columbia
- 4. Vermont
- 5. Minnesota
- Highest Rate
- 47. Florida
- T-48. Georgia
- T-48. Alaska
- 50. Oklahoma
- 51. Texas
- Highest
- 1. California
- 2. Hawaii
- 3. Minnesota
- 4. New York
- 5. Connecticut
- Lowest
- 47. Louisiana
- 48. Kentucky
- 49. Alabama
- 50. West Virginia
- 51. Mississippi
- Lowest
- 1. California
- T-2. Oregon
- T-2. Rhode Island
- T-4. New Mexico
- T-4. Vermont
- Highest
- 47. South Dakota
- 48. Louisiana
- T-49. Wyoming
- T-49. North Dakota
- T-49. Alaska
*Refers to families with kids aged 0 to 17 and in which the father is present.
Ask the Experts
As the contemporary working dad faces increasing challenges in his role as parent and provider, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in on the most important issues. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:
- What are the biggest issues facing working dads today?
- What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy?
- How likely is it that men will take advantage of family leave policies adopted in New York State and elsewhere?
- How can young fathers strike the right balance between career and family?
- With so many fathers working from home during the pandemic, what will be the impact on their role in caring for children and housework?
- According to a recent survey, 82 percent of fathers say that they could have used more emotional support during the pandemic. What are some tips for working fathers trying to cope with the emotional struggles of the pandemic?
Ask the Experts
Ph.D. – Centennial Commission Professor of Liberal Arts; Executive Director, Council on Contemporary Families, Department of Sociology & Population Research Center – University of Texas – Austin
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Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences – University of North Texas
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Ph.D. – Clinical Professor, Counseling Psychology/Counselor Education, Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education – University of Texas at Austin
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Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences – University of Pennsylvania
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Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Management – Florida State University
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DNP, RN, APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP – Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing; Director of Undergraduate Health and Wellness Academic Programming; Co-Director of Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness; Project Manager, Million Hearts, College of Nursing – Ohio State University
Read More
Methodology
To determine the best and worst states for working dads, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across four key dimensions: 1) Economic & Social Well-Being, 2) Work-Life Balance, 3) Child Care and 4) Health.
We evaluated those dimensions using 23 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for working dads.
We then determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Economic & Social Well-Being – Total Points: 30
- Median Family Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living): Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
Note: “Family” refers to those with kids aged 0 to 17 and in which the father is present. - Share of Working Men Living with Economic Security: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: This metric is based on the Basic Economic Security Tables (BEST) Index, which measures how much income working adults of different family types need to be economically secure. Economic security means having “enough income to meet…basic monthly expenses—such as housing, food, transportation and child care expenses—and save for emergencies and retirement.” - Unemployment Rate for Dads with Kids Aged 0 to 17: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Share of Kids Aged 0 to 17 (with Dad Present) Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate for Men: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: This metric measures the percentage of male high school students who graduated on time.
Work-Life Balance – Total Points: 30
- WalletHub "Best States for Working from Home" Score: Double Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best States for Working from Home” ranking. - Parental-Leave Policy Score: Quadruple Weight (~13.33 Points)
- Average Time Spent on Child Care for Men: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Average Length of Work Day (in Hours) for Males: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Average Commute Time for Men: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Child Care – Total Points: 30
- Day-Care Quality Score: Double Weight (~7.50 Points)
- Child-Care Costs (Adjusted for Median Family Income): Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: “Family” refers to those with kids aged 0 to 17 and in which the father is present. - Pediatricians per Capita: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
- Quality of State School System: Double Weight (~7.50 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “States with the Best & Worst School Systems” ranking. - Share of Nationally Accredited Child Care Centers: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
- Number of Childcare Workers per Children Under Age 14: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Health – Total Points: 10
- Male Uninsured Rate: Double Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Men’s Life Expectancy: Double Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Male Suicide Rate: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
- Male Mental Health: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
- Share of Men in Good or Better Health: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of men who reported having good or better health as part of a public health survey, data for which are collected and maintained by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). - Share of Physically Active Men: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of men who reported engaging in adequate or any physical activity as part of a public health survey, data for which are collected and maintained by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). - Unaffordability of Doctor’s Visits: Full Weight (~1.11 Points)
Note: This metric measures the percentage of men who could not afford to visit a doctor in the past 12 months due to unaffordable costs.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Education Statistics, National Partnership for Women & Families, Institute for Women's Policy Research, Child Care Aware of America, United States Mortality Database and WalletHub research.
