How Montana Ranked In 2025’s Best States To Have A Baby

Thinking of starting a family in Big Sky Country? You’re not alone, but you might want to check your wallet first. According to a new 2025 report from WalletHub, Montana ranked in the middle of the pack in the Best & Worst States to Have a Baby.

The personal finance site compared all 50 states + D.C. using 31 data points covering cost, healthcare access, and baby-friendliness. Basically, they looked at everything from how much it costs to give birth to how many pediatricians are around. Another big factor was how hard it is to snag a daycare spot without selling a kidney.

So where does Montana rank in the country for Best & Worst States to have a baby? 26th out of 51 (yep, they included D.C.)

Here’s the kicker: the average birth in the U.S. costs over $2,600 even with insurance, and nearly $15,000 if you’re flying solo. That's AVERAGE... so could be much higher. In Montana, while we love our wide-open spaces and slower pace of life, the access to healthcare in rural areas and the rising costs of infant care might be what dragged our ranking into the “meh” zone.

Sure, we’ve got a few things going for us in Big Sky Country, strong communities, and not as much traffic when you’re racing to the hospital. But we’re still catching up in the areas of affordable childcare, number of specialists, and postpartum support.

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So if you’re planning to grow your family here in Montana in 2025, it’s worth doing some prep. The Treasure State has its perks, but raising babies here isn’t always budget-friendly.