(WTNH) – A new report released by WalletHub ranks the best and worst states for working moms.

According to WalletHub, women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce and nearly 68 percent of moms with children under the age of 18 were working in 2021.

The website looked at state dynamics across 17 key metrics to identify the best and worst states for working moms. So, where does Connecticut rank? Pretty high up on the list.

Overall, Connecticut ranked #2 among the best states for working moms, according to WalletHub. Looking at key metrics, CT ranked #1 for the lowest gender pay gaps.

Connecticut is one of only eight states with publicly funded maternity leave. One working mom, Cristina Stone, told News 8 that statistic “is huge.”

“I think it’s a big issue right now,” Stone said. “I think a lot of women are holding back on having kids. They’re afraid to go out on maternity leave because they won’t get the pay. I know a lot of people have cut their maternity leave short and I think the child really suffers from that.”

Stone said she knows some people who limit the number of kids they have or even choose not to have any because of the cost of childcare.

To determine the best and worst states, WalletHub compared all 50 states across three dimensions, which include child care, professional opportunities, and work-life balance.

Here are the top 10 states for working moms:

  1. Massachusetts
  2. Connecticut
  3. Rhode Island
  4. Minnesota
  5. District of Columbia
  6. Vermont
  7. New Jersey
  8. New York
  9. New Hampshire
Source: WalletHub

The worst state for working moms, according to WalletHub, is Louisiana.

See the full report here.