National Ranking Puts Maine Among the Best States for Working Dads

The Pine Tree State performed well in this year’s report, earning the title of the 15th best state in the nation for working dads. All Mainers should take a bow; this is definitely a ranking to be proud of.

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WalletHub gave Maine a score of 57.81 out of a possible 100 points. The scoring system is based on three major categories: Childcare, Health, Economic & Social Well-being, and Work-Life Balance. These were further broken down into 22 subcategories to provide as much detail as possible. You can read more about the methodology here.

Maine’s category rankings were especially strong in childcare. The Pine Tree State ranked 3rd in the entire country, just behind Connecticut and Massachusetts. This is a highly encouraging development. The data clearly show that Maine is making significant progress in the availability, affordability, and quality of early childhood education.

Another strong category was work-life balance, where Maine ranked 13th. Let’s be honest—we could all use a better work-life balance, so for Maine to place that high means we’re clearly doing something right.

Health was next, where Maine slipped to 30th, a less-than-ideal ranking, to say the least. This category included critical issues such as mental health, insurance coverage, and life expectancy. It’s clear that this is an area in need of improvement.

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The lowest ranking came in economic and social well-being, where Maine placed 34th. This category covers median income and employment rates—issues that have seemingly challenged the state for decades. If Maine wants to break into the top 10 overall, it’s clear these numbers must finally be addressed with serious effort.

Though two of those numbers are lower than anyone would like to see, the four rankings still average out to a very respectable 15th place overall. In short, it means Maine is certainly one of the best states for all the working dads out there.

What are the Best States in New England for Working Dads?

Maine was joined by many of its New England neighbors near the top of WalletHub’s report. In fact, every single New England state ranked within the top 16. Here’s how they finished:

1. Massachusetts
2. Connecticut
5. Rhode Island
7. New Hampshire
9. Vermont

That’s some seriously dominant performance by the region, and I’m sure all those working dads appreciate it.

READ MORE: The Hottest Restaurants in Portland, Maine, Everyone’s Talking About

As for the worst state for working dads? That would be New Mexico. I mean, they have great food, though.

Check out the entire list here.