The 5 best states for single parents — and the 5 worst

A new analysis ranks the best and worst U.S. states for single parents, based on childcare costs, housing affordability, paid leave, safety, and more

Across the country, millions of parents are exhausted from juggling work, childcare, and bills. And for some, geography may be making their life significantly harder.

A new report from Your Law Firm, a practice specializing in family law, set out to find and best and worst states for single parents. The analysis ranked all 50 U.S. states based on seven key factors: childcare affordability, housing affordability, paid family leave availability, violent crime rates, access to public pre-K, average work hours for single parents, and the percentage of single-parent households in the community.

The report scored each factor using data from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, Child Care Aware of America, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Paid family leave policies were graded on a three-tier scale: 1 for mandatory statewide programs, 0.5 for partial or voluntary coverage, and 0 for no coverage. Scores were combined into an overall 0–100 ranking for each state.

“The data shows a stark reality, that your zip code can determine whether single parenthood is challenging but manageable, or nearly impossible,” said Kira Abernathy, lead attorney at Your Law Firm. “States with strong family support systems create environments where single parents can thrive, while others leave families struggling without adequate resources.”

She continued: “When states invest in family-friendly policies and affordable living, they’re not only helping individual families, but also building stronger communities.”

Continue reading to see which states made the list.

Cyndi Monaghan / Getty Images

Maryland is one of only two states in the top five with paid family leave. It also has strong childcare affordability and a moderate workweek for single parents at 36.4 hours. However, it ranks lower in housing affordability and has a relatively high violent crime rate compared to the other top performers.

Annie Otzen / Getty Images

South Dakota scores very high for childcare affordability and housing affordability, making it one of the least expensive states for single parents to live and work. Violent crime rates are moderate and average weekly work hours are reasonable at 36.7. The main shortfall is limited public pre-K access — just 25% of eligible children are enrolled — which could create childcare challenges before school age.

Cavan Images / Getty Images

Iowa offers the most affordable housing in the top five and a strong pre-K enrollment rate of 81%. While the state lacks paid family leave, its combination of low living costs, good childcare affordability and low violent crime helps single parents focus on building long-term stability for their families.

Wisconsin ranks second thanks to its high housing affordability score and strong pre-K enrollment rate of 78%. While it doesn’t have a statewide paid family leave policy, its manageable living costs help offset this gap. The state’s violent crime rate is below the national average, and its relatively low weekly work hours (35.9) leave more time for family responsibilities.

martinedoucet / Getty Images

Maine stands out with strong performance across nearly every metric. It has the best childcare affordability score among top performers and a low violent crime rate at just 104.46 incidents per 100,000 people. The state offers comprehensive paid family leave, reasonable average work hours for single parents, and solid public pre-K enrollment at 66%.

Joel Carillet / Getty Images

Tennessee offers partial paid family leave and moderate housing affordability, but its violent crime rate is among the highest in the nation at 637.07 per 100,000 people. Public pre-K access is limited, with a paltry 36% enrollment, and higher-than-average weekly work hours mean many parents have less time to care for young children outside of paid care.

Arizona has relatively affordable childcare compared to many states, but high violent crime — 408.10 incidents per 100,000 people — and extremely limited public pre-K enrollment, at 18%, reduce its appeal for single parents. The lack of paid family leave also leaves families without income support during illnesses or emergencies.

Layland Masuda / Getty Images

California offers paid family leave, but it ranks dead last in housing affordability, making it extremely difficult for single parents to live near work or in safe communities without dedicating a majority of their income to rent. While pre-K access is near the national average, high violent crime in certain areas and long work hours leave parents with limited bandwidth to manage childcare and household needs.

Yiming Chen / Getty Images

Hawaii’s biggest challenge is housing affordability, with some of the most expensive home prices and rents in the country. While the state’s violent crime rate is relatively low, limited public pre-K access (18%) and high overall living costs mean parents often face long commutes or multiple jobs to make ends meet, reducing time spent with their children.

Page Light Studios / Getty Images

Louisiana ranks last due to a combination of a high violent crime rate of 522.72 incidents per 100,000 people, expensive housing relative to single-parent income, and the highest percentage of single-parent households in the country at 41.72%. These factors suggest many families are struggling without adequate community or state support. Childcare affordability also isn’t great, making it harder for parents to maintain employment without significant financial strain.