The 5 best states in America for working moms

Life as a working mom comes with challenges no matter where you live — but some states make it harder than others.

Credit score site WalletHub set out to find the states where it’s fiscally easiest and hardest to be a working mother. It looked at several key factors to make its ranking, like child care cost and quality, the gender pay gap in each state, the female unemployment rate, and parental leave policies.

“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,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “This gives working moms both the financial ability and the peace of mind to not have to choose between a career and family.”

Continue reading to see which states ranked the best — and the worst — for working moms.