Report: Pennsylvania second-worst for having baby
According to WalletHub, Pennsylvania ranks second-worst in the country for having a baby.
With September being one of the most popular months for newborn arrival in the U.S., WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia to help parents gauge their baby-planning costs.
To find the best and worst states to have a baby, WalletHub ranked the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions, including: 1) budget, 2) health care and 3) baby-friendly environment. It then compiled 21 relevant metrics (listed in sidebar with their corresponding weights).
Pennsylvania is 48th in the country for the number of pediatricians per capita. And it comes in last in the "baby-friendly environment" category.
The state ranks 37th in money budgeted and 36th in health care.
Having a baby is expensive. And depending on where you raise that bundle of joy, you might need a deeper pocketbook than other expectant parents.
Between one-time expenses such as a crib and stroller and ongoing costs including diapers and formula, couples need to take a careful look at their life circumstances as well as their finances before starting a family.
According to the International Federation of Health Plans, Americans pay the highest birthing costs in the world. The average price tag of conventional delivery at a U.S. hospital is $10,002. Add another $5,238 to that for a C-Section. In the Netherlands, the cost of a normal birth pales in comparison at $2,824 and dips to an even more modest $2,251 in Spain.
Sources: Data used to create these rankings were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Child Care Aware of America, the National Partnership for Women and Families, the United Health Foundation, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Tax Foundation, Amnesty International USA, eHealthInsurance Services and BabyCenter.com.