South Carolina Ranks Among Worst States in America for Working Moms

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Charlotte Stories
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With Mother’s Day approaching and more mothers in the workforce than ever, a new national report highlights a growing challenge. South Carolina ranks among the worst states in the country for working moms, according to a 2026 study by WalletHub.

Researchers compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C. using 17 metrics. These included women’s median salaries, unemployment rates, child care quality, and work-life balance.

Best and Worst States for Working Moms

Overall Rank  State Total Score  Child Care Rank  Professional Opportunities Rank  Work-Life Balance Rank 
1 Connecticut 70.28 1 2 8
2 Massachusetts 69.25 2 6 1
3 Rhode Island 63.69 5 14 3
4 New Jersey 59.26 10 5 7
5 Vermont 58.34 6 9 9
6 Maine 57.49 3 20 13
7 Minnesota 56.42 7 4 16
8 District of Columbia 56.27 16 10 6
9 New York 53.37 12 33 12
10 North Dakota 53.24 11 12 20
11 Maryland 52.97 15 1 44
12 Illinois 52.71 9 8 24
13 Indiana 51.68 4 27 28
14 Wisconsin 50.28 21 25 10
15 Washington 50.25 35 29 2
16 New Hampshire 50.02 8 22 34
17 Tennessee 48.30 13 7 49
18 Delaware 47.81 14 17 41
19 Wyoming 47.65 19 37 18
20 South Dakota 47.48 20 19 25
21 Pennsylvania 47.47 18 13 33
22 Oregon 46.79 44 23 4
23 Nebraska 46.71 22 15 26
24 Utah 46.54 24 41 11
25 Kansas 46.35 23 24 19
26 Iowa 46.12 30 3 21
27 Ohio 44.85 26 16 22
28 Virginia 44.79 17 30 42
29 Colorado 44.42 25 18 27
30 California 43.83 43 40 5
31 Hawaii 43.59 27 45 15
32 Montana 42.94 33 35 14
33 Alaska 39.19 34 39 23
34 Kentucky 38.77 28 44 38
35 Arkansas 38.60 37 32 31
36 Michigan 38.29 39 28 30
37 North Carolina 38.12 42 21 36
38 Georgia 38.00 31 11 51
39 Oklahoma 37.86 29 47 39
40 Missouri 37.29 38 34 37
41 Florida 36.61 36 26 47
42 Idaho 36.10 46 48 17
43 Texas 35.86 32 38 48
44 West Virginia 35.62 40 43 35
45 South Carolina 32.71 45 42 45
46 Arizona 32.08 49 36 29
47 Nevada 30.40 48 31 46
48 Mississippi 29.84 41 51 50
49 New Mexico 27.47 51 46 32
50 Alabama 27.39 47 49 43
51 Louisiana 26.39 50 50 40

 

The results show South Carolina continues to lag in several key areas. While 74% of mothers with children under 18 are working, support systems have not kept pace.

Child care remains a major hurdle. Many families face high costs, limited availability, and long waitlists for quality care.

At the same time, lower median wages and persistent pay gaps continue to impact working mothers. These financial pressures make it harder for families to balance careers and child care needs.

Work-life balance is another weak point. Limited parental leave policies and fewer flexible job options leave many mothers with difficult choices.

Top-ranked states tend to offer stronger child care systems, higher wages, and better workplace policies. Experts say those advantages help keep more parents in the workforce.

For families across the Carolinas, the findings highlight a growing gap. Job growth continues, but support for working parents remains limited, putting added strain on households and the broader economy.