The topic of gender equality is all over the news these days and it’s no secret that there’s a long way to go before women everywhere are truly treated as equals to men. Of course, where a gal lives may affect how she’s being treated, and a new report by WalletHub reveals which states do the best at treating their female population fairly.
The site determined their list by looking at all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 23 key indicators of living standards for women, including median earnings, women’s preventative healthcare, job security, share of women-owned business, female homicide rates and more.
So, which state is the best for women? Well, that would be Minnesota, which earns a total score of 78.72 out of 100, and ranks number one for women’s economic and social well-being, and third for health and safety.
The Ten Best U.S. States For Women
- Minnesota
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- North Dakota
- Wisconsin
- Maine
- Hawaii
- Connecticut
- Iowa
- New Hampshire
On the other end of the spectrum, Louisiana is the worst state for women, with an overall index score of just 36.27, coming in dead last for economic and social well-being, and 47th for health and safety.
The Worst States in the U.S. for Women
- Lousiana
- Arkansas
- Mississippi
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
- Nevada
- Georgia
- Texas
Click here to find out where your state lands.
A few other tidbits from the study:
- District of Columbia has the highest median earnings for female workers (adjusted for cost of living), while Hawaii has the lowest.
- New Hampshire has the lowest unemployment rate for women, while New Mexico has the highest.
- New Hampshire also has the lowest number of women living in poverty, while Mississippi has the highest.
- Massachusetts has the lowest female uninsured rate, while Texas has the highest.
Source: WalletHub