Report: Mississippi ranked worst state for working dads

Father’s Day is less than a week away and is a holiday many will spend with their beloved patriarchs.

However, one report shows that Mississippi is far from welcoming to fathers in the workforce.

Personal finance website Wallet Hub released its latests rankings in the spirit of Father’s Day and the Magnolia State finished at the bottom of the list for Best and Worst States For Working Dads.

Mississippi was ranked last among 51 states, with the study taking into consideration factors such as economic and social well being, work-life balance, child care and health.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 93 percent of men with children under the age of 18 are employed.

Since the 1960s, trends regarding single father households have also seen a dramatic shift.

The most recent data from the Pew Research Center shows that 24 percent of single-parent households are headed by fathers - up from 14 percent in 1960.

Pew cites a jump in non-marital births and changes in the legal system as contributing to the rise in single-father households. The study also points to changes in the legal system that have led to more opportunities for fathers to gain at least partial custody of their children.

While single fathers tend to be less educated, Pew says single fathers on average have higher incomes than single mothers and are less likely to be living at or below the poverty line, with 24 percent of single fathers compared to 43 percent of single mothers.

Despite Mississippi finishing with the lowest child care costs when adjusted for median family income, child care overall for the state was ranked 39th - which presents the Magnolia State’s highest categorical ranking among the aforementioned factors.

Mississippi was ranked near the bottom across the board in each subcategory, with Wallet Hub ranking the state 45th for economic and social well-being, 50th for work-life balance and 51st for health.

The Deep South was shown to be far from welcoming for working fathers, with Mississippi’s neighboring states all ranking near the bottom: Alabama (46th), Arkansas (44th), Louisiana (47th) and Tennessee (36th).

Connecticut finished atop the list, also ranking in the top 10 for each category.

Mississippi also received low marks in several other subcategories.

According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median family income in Mississippi is $36,919. Wallet Hub ranks Mississippi 31st for median family income, overall. Where Mississippi finished in other categories:

• Male life expectancy - 51st

• Percent of children younger than 18 with dad

present living in poverty - 46th

• Unemployment rate for dads with children younger than 18 - 28th

• Male uninsured rate - 44th

• Average length of work day (in hours) for males - 43rd

• Deaths due to heart disease among males (per 100,000 Men) - 50th

• Percent of physically active men - 51st

• Day-care quality - 40th