Mississippi Ranks Among the Top 10 Best Childcare-Friendly States Across the U.S.
A new study has revealed that Mississippi is the third-most childcare-friendly state in the U.S.
The research by Birth Injury Lawyers Group analyzed key childcare metrics across availability, cost, and subsidy via the Office of Childcare and Child Care Aware for all 50 U.S. States. Each metric was weighted, scored, and totaled to rank the top ten Childcare-Friendly U.S States.
Mississippi takes third place with a childcare-friendly score of 68.0/100. The Magnolia State’s childcare cost ranks second nationwide, with an average annual expense of $7,455. Mississippi is also the second-best state for subsidized childcare, where 21,833 children receive assistance yearly.
Looking at the study, a spokesperson from Birth Injury Lawyers Group commented,
“The study shows that Mississippi ensures a good number of licensed facilities, favorable childcare costs, and robust subsidized funding.
“The top 10 states invest in expanding access, controlling costs, and offering subsidies to provide a more equitable and supportive environment for families of all backgrounds.”
“Working parents looking to relocate or evaluate where to raise their children may consider these top-ranking states, as they indicate a strong commitment to supporting them.”
Table of Extended Results:
| Top 10 Best U.S. States for Childcare (Under 5 Years Old) | |||||
| State | Childcare Availability Score out of 40 | Childcare Cost Score out of 40 | Subsidized Childcare Score out of 20 | Childcare-Friendly Score out of 100 | Rank |
| Maine | 29 | 29 | 11 | 69.4 | 1 |
| Iowa | 25 | 30 | 13 | 68.1 | 2 |
| Mississippi | 11 | 38 | 19 | 68.0 | 3 |
| Vermont | 40 | 14 | 13 | 67.1 | 4 |
| West Virginia | 15 | 32 | 19 | 65.9 | 5 |
| Wyoming | 22 | 29 | 13 | 64.5 | 6 |
| North Dakota | 26 | 30 | 8 | 64.4 | 7 |
| South Dakota | 13 | 40 | 9 | 62.1 | 8 |
| Nebraska | 23 | 28 | 10 | 60.9 | 9 |
| Kansas | 26 | 24 | 9 | 60.0 | 10 |
The study was conducted by the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, a nationwide network of lawyers dedicated to advocating for families affected by medical negligence.
ENDS
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Methodology
The study analyzed key childcare indicators for U.S. states, including licensed childcare availability, cost (center- and family-home-based), and subsidized childcare support. Each dimension was scored and combined to produce an overall Childcare Score out of 100.
Data Sources
- Infant population – https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/101-child-population-by-age-group#detailed/2/2-53/false/2545/62/419
- Childcare facilities – https://www.childcareaware.org/catalyzing-growth-using-data-to-change-child-care-2022/#LandscapeAnalysis
- Childcare cost – https://info.childcareaware.org/hubfs/2023_Affordability_Analysis.pdf
- Subsidized childcare – https://acf.gov/occ/data/fy-2022-preliminary-data-table-1
- Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eSrhcGrIcjhYvuZSj-KyqXo7xx89je430duS0bD53mk/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- Study by: www.birthinjurylawyer.com
