Answer: A baby
Clues: “9” and “Months”
The stress of having a baby is more amplified in 2025 as inflation pushes the cost of adding an extra family member higher and higher. One of the biggest expenses to keep in mind is medical bills. The average conventional delivery in the U.S. costs over $2,600 with insurance, and without insurance it could cost nearly $15,000.
To determine the most ideal places in the U.S. to have a baby, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 31 key measures of cost and health care accessibility, as well as baby- and family-friendliness. Their data set ranges from hospital conventional-delivery charges to annual average infant-care costs to pediatricians per capita.
Massachusetts, North Dakota, and Minnesota top a list of the “Best States to Have a Baby.” The three worst are: Mississippi, Alabama, and Nevada.