This Is How Much Child Support Varies From State to State

Sometimes it seems as if almost every regional statistic these days can be color-coded red or blue, with sharp divides according to the states’ voting patterns. But that’s not the case with average child support figures, which vary only $13 a month between Democratic-leaning states (a monthly average of $715) and Republican-leaning counterparts ($702).

Regardless of political persuasion, there’s a broad state-to-state disparity in the average payment, even among households with similar incomes, according to a study by Custody X Change, which develops web apps to help parents create custody agreements and calendars.

The organization’s research is based on a hypothetical family with two children, 7 and 10 years old. The mother has 65% of parenting time, while earning $45,000 a year; the father makes $55,000.

The study’s results indicate that in Massachusetts, this hypothetical family’s child support would average $1,187, ranking the state #1 in the nation. Virginia would hold the bottom slot, at $402 monthly for the same family.

The vast fiscal gap between the two states is even more striking when you consider that the cost of living is similar in the two states: Massachusetts has the seventh highest cost of living in the U.S., with Virginia is not far behind in 12th place. But, Virginia’s average child support payment is a buck below a neighboring state with a far lower cost of living: the average payment in West Virginia is $403. 24/7 Wall. St. compared the cost of living in America’s major cities.

Broken down by region, New England tops the list with a monthly average payment of $928. The “Mideast” area, which includes three (New York, New Jersey, Maryland) of the five states with the highest cost of living, ranks seventh out of eight regional slots, at an average of $627. The Rocky Mountain states have the lowest average–$556 per month.

Ideally, child support payments should provide for a youngster’s needs without driving the paying parent into poverty. Each state sets guidelines for child support to help courts determine an appropriate payment. Judges can adjust the amount depending on the evidence presented to the court, or parents can decide on a support figure between themselves.

The states are required to review their guidelines every four years, and they are likely to evolve as society evolves. While the support payment amounts used to depend solely on the father’s income, now all but four states factor the mother’s income into their determinations. And there’s no longer an automatic presumption that parents were ever married. But income is just one factor that affects how a child is raised. Many other play a role and make some cities the worst to raise children in.