0:02
The average cost of having a baby in the
0:05
United States in 2025 is estimated to be
0:10
And that doesn't even include prenatal
0:12
care and delivery. Believe it or not,
0:14
the state where you have your baby
0:18
The most affordable one may not give you
0:20
the best quality, and then the highest
0:22
quality ones may cost you a little bit
0:24
more. The personal finance website
0:26
Wallet Hub has just ranked all 50 states
0:29
from the best to the worst for having a
0:31
baby. It was based on 31 metrics
0:34
including fertility clinics per capita,
0:36
OBGYn availability, prenatal care
0:39
access, and birth rates. And the results
0:42
of the top states could surprise you.
0:44
For example, they ranked Massachusetts
0:47
number one and North Dakota number two.
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Those states couldn't be more different.
0:52
Why the difference? Why the disparity
0:54
yet they're so they both rank so high.
0:57
Massachusetts ranks one in health care,
0:59
two in baby friendliness, one in family
1:01
friendliness. 43rd in cost. While you're
1:04
getting quality care, you're paying out
1:05
the nose. North Dakota, on the other
1:07
hand, very affordable, good quality. The
1:09
baby friendliness rank is where North
1:12
Dakota lacks a little bit. We're talking
1:13
about things u metrics such as parental
1:17
When it comes to states which didn't
1:19
rank well, the study found there's a
1:22
common reason. These are all low-income
1:24
states, largely rural,
1:27
not a lot of resources
1:30
towards health care in general, much
1:35
and so therefore the quality also
1:37
No matter where you live, having a child
1:41
To help save money when having a baby,
1:43
here are some tips. Focus on budgeting,
1:46
buying secondhand, as well as free
1:49
resources and discounts. When it comes
1:52
to figuring out your expenses, create a
1:54
detailed budget before the baby arrives
1:56
to track income and expenses. Identify
2:00
areas where you can cut back on
2:02
non-essential spending and look for ways
2:04
to reduce existing bills, like
2:07
negotiating lower rates for services.
2:11
The earlier you begin planning, the
2:13
better prepared you'll be for the
2:14
financial impact of having a baby. And
2:17
don't forget to also create an emergency
2:19
fund. that'll help you deal with the
2:22
inevitable expenses that come with
2:24
having a child. Working for you, I'm the
2:26
consumer investigator, Steve Spraer.
