These States Are the Best for Single Parents to Raise Children

• Each state's median household income
• Average home listing price
• Average cost of groceries for a family
• Average employee contribution amount for employer-sponsored family health insurance
• Annual childcare costs for an infant and 4-year-old
• Whether the state offers a paid family leave insurance program
• Whether the state offers an earned-income tax credit on top of the federal credit
• Whether the state has adopted the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act

For full study results and more details on methodology, visit: Best and Worst States for Single Parents to Raise a Family

Best States for Single Parents to Raise Children

1. New Jersey
   Median Household Income: $72,093 (third-highest in the nation)
   State Support: Expanded Medicaid, earned-income tax credit and paid family leave program
2. Rhode Island
   Median Household Income: $56,852
   State Support: Expanded Medicaid, earned-income tax credit and paid family leave program
3. Michigan
   Average home listing price and grocery costs are among the lowest in the nation
   State Support: Expanded Medicaid and earned-income tax credit
4. Washington
   No state income tax allows single parents to keep more of their pay
   State Support: Expanded Medicaid, earned-income tax credit and paid family leave program (effective 2019)
5. Illinois
   Fourth-lowest employee contribution amount for employer-sponsored family health coverage
   State Support: Expanded Medicaid and earned-income tax credit

Worst States for Single Parents to Raise Children

1. Florida
   Low median household income: $47,507
   Does not offer single-parent support systems*
2. Mississippi
   Lowest median household income in the nation: $39,665
   Does not offer single-parent support systems
3. Alabama
   Fourth-highest family health coverage costs: $5,606
   Does not offer single-parent support systems
4. South Carolina
   Ninth-lowest median household income: $45,483
   Does not offer single-parent support systems
5. North Carolina
   10th-lowest median household income: $46,868
   Does not offer single-parent support systems

*Single-parent support systems include expanded Medicaid, an earned-income tax credit or a guaranteed paid family leave program.

Additional Study Insights

• Only three U.S. states offer paid family leave: New Jersey, Rhode Island and California. Washington and New York will join the list of states that offer paid family leave by 2019.
• Michigan offers the lowest employee contribution amount for family health coverage of any state.
• Only 19 states have yet to expand Medicaid to give more low-income families access to health coverage.

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