New York Ranks Among Worst in the Country for Working Dads' Well-Being, Study Says

WalletHub ranked the best and worst U.S. states for working dads in 2019, and New York fell way short in comparison to top-ranking neighbors New Jersey and Connecticut.

Researchers assessed and compared each state’s friendliness towards working fathers using four core categories: economic and social well-being, work-life balance, child care and health.

After winner Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey placed second and third nationally with their overall scores. Scroll down and keep scrolling down to find New York, ranked as number 28 overall.

Although New York placed tenth to 17th in most categories, the state’s so-so average was thrown off by its economic and social wellbeing ranking -- 50th out of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia.

One of the outstanding statistics regarding this category was that New York has the second-to-last lowest median family income in the U.S. with one of the highest costs of living.

Right across the river, New Jersey scored in the top five for economic and social wellbeing, with the second-highest median family income across the nation – two times the difference.

Connecticut also boasts the second-highest economic and child care scores in America. In addition, the state possesses the second-highest score for men’s life expectancy and the second-lowest percentage of children aged 0 to 17 living in poverty with fathers present.

It is important now more than ever for fathers to strike a balance between providing for their families and being present in their children’s lives, said University of New Haven’s Stuart Sidle.

“Working dads want to be more involved in all aspects of their children’s lives compared to dads in past generations,” Sidle told WalletHub. “Both workplace success and parenting success are vital aspects of many working dads' identities. This makes time precious and time management critical. Success in both spheres is not impossible.”

Sidle said quality family time can be “a powerful antidepressant” for dads going through a tough time at work. Although, he said that quality time does not mean dropping work at a moment’s notice and being emotionally available 24/7.

“Parenting is not a customer service experience,” Sidle said. “Sometimes it is okay for your kids to have to wait, be told “no” or to have to figure out a problematic experience for themselves.”

For dads who strive to have it all, Sidle said success at work can also lead to success at home. “Sometimes success at work can energize you and make you feel excited to be home with the kids,” Sidle said. “Also, the strategies we learn at work to manage our time sometimes can be helpful at home.”