Are South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota Good for Working Parents?

It's one of the toughest things to pull off as an adult: finding the right balance between work and family life. But whether you succeed or fail as a working parent might just depend on where you're trying to do it.

A new study from Lawsuit Legal News looked at childcare costs, school system rankings, commute durations, and the availability of both childcare professionals and pediatricians to provide a comprehensive look at family-friendly living across the U.S.

South Dakota emerged as one of the best states for working parents in America, with a number-two showing.

The Mount Rushmore State grabbed top five rankings in:

• 1st - Average commute time (17.4 minutes)
• 2nd - Childcare services costs (an average of $6,677)
• 5th - Number of childcare workers (19.39 per 100,000 children)

South Dakota's worst ranking was 34th in school system quality.

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BEST STATES FOR WORKING PARENTS

1. North Dakota
2. South Dakota
3. Mississippi
4. Louisiana
5. Kentucky
6. Oklahoma
7. Wyoming
8. Arkansas
9. Alabama
10. Alaska

As for the rest of the Tri-State Area, Iowa and Minnesota are at or below the midway point in the rankings.

The Hawkeye State is 25th overall with one Top Ten showing (7th - average commute time). The state's worst showing is in school system quality (35th).

Minnesota landed in the bottom third of states at 39th overall.

On the plus side, the North Star State is 4th in the share of nationally accredited childcare centers per 100,000 children, but 36th in school system quality and 43rd in childcare services costs.

WORST STATES FOR WORKING PARENTS

1. New York
2. Washington
3. New Jersey
4. Massachusetts
5. Colorado
6. California
7. Pennsylvania
8. Maryland
9. Illinois
10. Vermont