BOISE, Idaho — A gender pay gap and daycare issues contributed the Gem State's No. 47 ranking.
Working mothers in Idaho have a tougher time than in nearly anywhere else in the country, according to a new study.
Wallethub's 'Best & Worst States for Working Moms' ranking placed Idaho at No. 47 out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Only four states: South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana came in lower.
The study examined factors including daycare quality and costs of childcare, pediatricians per capita, median salary for women, share of families in poverty, and parental leave policies in setting the ranking, among others.
"Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, and nearly 68% of moms with children under age 18 were working in 2021," Wallethub wrote. "Unfortunately, the share of women in the workforce declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, dropping around 1.3% between Q3 2019 and Q3 2021 (compared to 1.1% for men)."
Idaho's daycare quality and a wide income gap between men and women contributed to the low ranking, according to the study's authors.
The top five states for working moms are listed as Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
For more information, or to see the full ranking, click here.
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