New Jersey ranked eighth, behind Vermont and ahead of Washington, as the overall best state for women. WalletHub measured job security, median income, unemployment rate, share of women-owned business, woman equality, and the number of women who voted in the 2020 Presidential Election.
“In order to determine how women are faring and where they can find the best opportunities, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 25 key indicators of living standards for women. Our data set ranges from median earnings for female workers to the quality of women’s health care to the female homicide rate,” WalletHub said in its report.
New Jersey won praise for the high percentage of women who voted in the 2020 election, and for having the fourth-lowest unemployment rate in the nation among women. The state scored 70.23 overall and ranked 14th for Women’s Economic and Social Well Being and third for Women’s Healthcare and Safety. All rankings are here.
“Despite improvements the U.S. has made over the years, women still lag behind men when it comes to economic prospects, executive positions and political representation. On top of tackling these important issues, the best states for women also ensure that they have access to high-quality health care, receive the same educational opportunities as men, and live in safe communities.”
Milvionne Chery Copeland, WalletHub Analyst.
Women outnumber men in most states and make up nearly 51% of the population. Women also represent more than two-thirds of all minimum-wage workers and are sadly under-represented on Capitol Hill: just 24% of the Senate and 29.2% of the House of Representatives are women.
Number one is Massachusetts, with a score of 77.22, followed by Minnesota, with 77.15. Both states boast low unemployment rates for women, and Minnesota creates excellent economic opportunities, WalletHub said.
Massachusetts has a female governor — Gov. Maura Healey is one of 13 nationwide — and has the lowest share of women who lack health insurance, at 2.1%. It ranks as the best state to have a baby and the best for working moms. Minnesota has the second-highest median income for women, at $44,526, adjusted for the cost of living. Minnesota also has the fourth-lowest percentage of women living in poverty at 10%.
The rest of the top 10 rankings are: Washington, D.C., third, followed by New York, Maryland, Maine, Vermont, New Jersey, Washington, and Hawaii. The top 10 states have a few things in common, like a higher cost of living. But they also have strong economies, excellent education, healthcare, transportation, and public services. Plus, they’re on coastlines (Vermont has Lake Champlain), a draw for tourism and other economic activity.
The worst state for women is Mississippi, coming in dead last, then Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, the fifth worst state.
For more information, including details about the methodology, click here.
