Texas Has Fourth-Worst Work-Life Balance for Moms in 2026

Texas ranks near the bottom nationally for working moms, with one of the worst work-life balance scores, according to WalletHub.

The Hive in South Austin is a co-working space that caters to working moms and dads with a coffee bar, playground and child care facility.

While Mother’s Day is often a joyful celebration, it also presents an opportunity to highlight the unique barriers that maternal figures face today.

Nearly half of the nation’s workforce is made up of women, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2025, around three in four moms with children under the age of 18 were employed. But working mothers continue to face significant challenges despite such a strong presence in the labor market.

The gender wage gap still exists: A recent report concludes women earn 82 cents for every $1 men make, on average. Of the chief executives at S&P 500 companies, only 9.4% are women. Such statistics don’t just draw attention to financial concerns for women—they also reflect longstanding societal beliefs that women must choose between building a career and raising a family.

While these key issues are being addressed across the U.S., parental leave policies and other legal protections vary from state to state. This is also true of the quality of essential support systems like affordable childcare and strong public schools.

“The U.S. still has a lot of work to do when it comes to improving conditions for working moms, given the wage gap and the lack of representation women have in certain leadership positions,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. “However, some states are significantly better than others. The best states for working moms provide equitable pay for women and a strong potential for career advancement, along with robust parental leave policies and high-quality child care, health care, and schools.”

To determine where working mothers have the best and worst opportunities, WalletHub compared states across 17 key measures. How did the Lone Star State do? Like the country as a whole, there’s room for improvement.

Morgann Hubbard teaches her 4-year-old daughter Ammi at home in the apartment they in north Austin on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Morgann Hubbard is one of the many Travis County parents who struggle to find affordable childcare. Due to difficulties juggling being a mother and an employee, she recently resigned from her government job and began working as a full-time caretaker.

Unfortunately, Texas' opportunities for working mothers are subpar. In addition to ranking ninth worst overall, the state had the fourth-worst work-life balance for moms — only outranking Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee in the category.

Here is WalletHub’s full profile for Texas:

• Rank: 43 out of 51
• Total score: 35.86
• Child care rank: 32
• Professional opportunities rank: 38
• Work-Life balance rank: 48

Top 10 worst states for working moms, 2026

1. Louisiana
2. Alabama
3. New Mexico
4. Mississippi
5. Nevada
6. Arizona
7. South Carolina
8. West Virginia
9. Texas
10. Idaho

Top 10 best states for working moms, 2026

1. Connecticut
2. Massachusetts
3. Rhode Island
4. New Jersey
5. Vermont
6. Maine
7. Minnesota
8. District of Columbia
9. New York
10. North Dakota

WalletHub also noted a working mom-friendliness trend based states' political identity. The average ranking among blue (Democrat) states was more than twice as high as that of red (Republican) states.