Is The Number One Best State For Working Dads Massachusetts?
Good news for working dads in the Bay State! This Father’s Day we celebrate all the dads out there and for all they do in raising their children all the…
Good news for working dads in the Bay State!
This Father's Day we celebrate all the dads out there and for all they do in raising their children all the while juggling their work-life and home-life. It's not an easy thing to do. Working dads have to keep the plates spinning at home and on the job. Of course, the same goes for working moms, but this study was focused on the dads.
According to the folks at Wallethub have put together a list of the best states for working dads and Massachusetts is numero uno!
In order to help dads balance their dual role as parent and provider, WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia across 23 key indicators of friendliness toward working dads. The data set ranges from the average length of the work day for men to child-care costs to the share of men in good or better health.
Even though school is out, it doesn't hurt to keep that brain going. Plan to read a chapter or more a night. You can even read a whole series together!
Life as a Working Dad in Massachusetts (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
- 7th – Male Life Expectancy (nice to know we're in the top bracket for that!)
- 2nd – % of Kids Younger than 18 with Dad Present Living in Poverty (that's good news for everybody)
- 1st – Unemployment Rate for Dads with Kids Younger than 18 (that means we are a very good state to find work)
- 1st – Male Uninsured Rate (meaning the numbers of dad with insurance is excellent)
- 8th – Avg. Length of Work Day (in Hours) for Men (allowing more time with the family)
- 14th – % of Physically Active Men (not the best but still in the top tier for the country)
- 26th – Child-Care Costs (Adjusted for Median Family* Income) (we could do better, but half the country pays more)
- 17th – Day-Care Quality (room for improvement here, we all want quality day-care options)
*Refers to families with kids aged 0 to 17 and in which the father is present For the full report, please visit:https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-for-working-dads/13458
Boston Ranks Top 10 for Single Dads, But Can They Really Afford It
If you're a single dad living in Boston, we have good news for you. Boston actually ranks in the Top 10 of 2023's best cities to live if you're a single dad in America. The website lawnstarter.com researched the 200 biggest cities in the country and determined which ones reigned supreme for juggling the many responsibilities that come with being a single father. The statistics came from 6 categories: affordability, child care, health and education, home and outdoors, work life balance and community support rank.
After looking at the cities in the top 10, we found it interesting that with Boston being #10, it actually ranked toward the bottom in affordability. So while Boston may have scored super high in the other 5 categories, it scored VERY low in the affordability area. Boston also scored low for child care. This means the other categories bumped Boston up higher on the list. One category specifically being work-life balance where Boston landed at #2. Boston was also #19 in community support which is also a great rank. Knowing all of this, it sounds like Boston is considered a great place for single dads in every aspect with the exception of being able to comfortably afford living here.
The other area where Boston scored very well was support groups for single dads. Boston actually ranked #4 for the most support groups for single dads per 10,000 single dads. So, you may not be able to afford living here as a single dad, but rest assured, you'll be surrounded by other single dads who can't afford living here either. You can all support each other.
Let's take a look at the rest of the cities that placed in the top 15 on the list. Just in case you decide you want to move somewhere that's a little more affordable. And let this be a reminder to everyone, Father's Day is June 18th.
#15 Minneapolis, MN
Overall score: 51.29, affordability 42, child care rank 115, health and education rank 56, home and outdoors rank 4, work-life balance rank 62 and community support rank 23.
#14 Elk Grove, CA
Overall score: 51.35, affordability 18, child care rank 47, health and education rank 40, home and outdoors rank 103, work-life balance rank 36 and community support rank 148
#13 Eugene, OR
Overall score: 51.74, affordability 182, child care rank 84, health and education rank 25, home and outdoors rank 98, work-life balance rank 4 and community support rank 133.
#12 Frisco, TX
Overall score: 52.21, affordability 2, child care rank 2, health and education rank 13, home and outdoors rank 27, work-life balance rank 152 and community support rank 136.
#11 Torrance, CA
Overall score: 53.63, affordability 32, child care rank 7, health and education rank 9, home and outdoors rank 180, work-life balance rank 16 and community support rank 182.
#10 Boston
Overall score: 54.68, affordability 153, child care rank 140, health and education rank 63, home and outdoors rank 26, work-life balance rank 2 and community support rank 19.
#9 Portland, OR
Overall score: 55.72, affordability 82, child care rank 39, health and education rank 20, home and outdoors rank 65, work-life balance rank 5 and community support rank 47.
#8 Seattle, WA
Overall score: 55.78, affordability 82, child care rank 39, health and education rank 20, home and outdoors rank 65, work-life balance rank 5 and community support rank 47.
#7 San Francisco, CA
Overall score: 56.43, affordability 19, child care rank 20, health and education rank 24, home and outdoors rank 29, work-life balance rank 25 and community support rank 44.
#6 Roseville, CA
Overall score: 56.96, affordability 11, child care rank 38, health and education rank 8, home and outdoors rank 38, work-life balance rank 42 and community support rank 42.
#5 Sunnyvale, CA
Overall score: 57.84, affordability 6, child care rank 8, health and education rank 69, home and outdoors rank 67, work-life balance rank 9 and community support rank 93.
#4 Fremont, CA
Overall score: 57.88, affordability 9, child care rank 18, health and education rank 27, home and outdoors rank 31, work-life balance rank 19 and community support rank 140.
#3 Naperville, IL
Overall score: 60.02, affordability 1, child care rank 1, health and education rank 11, home and outdoors rank 1, work-life balance rank 76 and community support rank 20.
#2 Irvine, CA
Overall score: 60.90, affordability 25, child care rank 16, health and education rank 6, home and outdoors rank 36, work-life balance rank 11 and community support rank 3.
#1 Bellevue, WA
Overall score: 64.56, affordability 3, child care rank 5, health and education rank 3, home and outdoors rank 21, work-life balance rank 24 and community support rank 6.
