Challenges galore await working mothers from access to affordable child care to breaking glass ceilings to low pay.

Although the United States consistently falls behind European countries in the help extended to working moms, some states are catching up.

To find out where these places are, WalletHub, an information resource and research organization for financial and lifestyle issues, looked at a number of factors that affect the lives of working moms and some that affect all working women. The firm then ranked states based on such things as the gender pay gap and the availability and cost of child care to see how the states stack up.

Following are the 10 states where working moms find the most support along with a reason each ranked well, listed in reverse order. The entire report can be found here.

 

No. 10 New Jersey

New Jersey ranked third for availability and cost of child care.

No. 9 Kansas

Kansas working moms also have good access to day care.

No. 8 Colorado

Colorado ranks well for its child care system and professional opportunities.

No. 7 Wisconsin

Working moms here have a good work-life balance.

No. 6 Illinois

Illinois ranked ninth best in the nation for its child care system and has good job opportunities.

No. 5 Massachusetts

Massachusetts has the second-best child care system. 

No. 4 North Dakota

North Dakota has the second-best day care system.

No. 3 Connecticut

Connecticut working moms have access to good childcare and have a good work-life balance.

No. 2 Minnesota

Minnesota ranked well on its child care system, work-life balance and professional opportunities.

No. 1 Vermont

Vermont has the fifth-lowest gender pay gap, ranks well on the percentage of women executives and is second for professional opportunities.