2016’s Best & Worst States for Women – Study Finds

With March being Women’s History Month and women outnumbering men in all but nine states today, the personal-finance website WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2016’s Best & Worst States for Women.

To identify the most women-friendly states, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 15 key metrics. Our data set ranges from “median earnings for female workers” to “women’s preventive health care” to “female uninsured rate.”
 

	Best States for Women			Worst States for Women
	1	Minnesota		42	Texas
	2	Vermont		43	Oklahoma
	3	New Hampshire		44	West Virginia
	4	Maine		45	New Mexico
	5	Massachusetts		46	Mississippi
	6	North Dakota		47	Arkansas
	7	Maryland		48	Alabama
	8	Wisconsin		49	Nevada
	9	Nebraska		50	South Carolina
	10	Hawaii		51	Louisiana

Comparing the Best & Worst

• The District of Columbia has the highest median earnings for female workers (adjusted for cost of living), $34,241, which is two times greater than in Hawaii, the state with the lowest, $18,434.
   
• The District of Columbia has the highest unemployment rate for women, 8.4 percent, which is three times greater than in North Dakota, the state with the lowest, 2.8 percent.
   
• Mississippi has the highest percentage of women living in poverty, 24.8 percent, which is three times greater than in New Hampshire, the state with the lowest, 9.7 percent. 
   
• Alaska has the highest share of women-owned businesses, 22.87 percent, which is two times greater than in South Dakota, the state with the lowest, 14.04 percent.
   
• Arizona has the highest high school dropout rate for women, 7.20 percent, which is eight times greater than in New Hampshire, the state with the lowest, 0.90 percent.
   
• The District of Columbia has the highest percentage of women who voted in the 2012 presidential election, 78.60 percent, which is two times greater than in West Virginia, the state with the lowest, 48.20 percent.
   
• Texas has the highest female uninsured rate, 21 percent, which is seven times greater than in Massachusetts, the state with the lowest, 2.90 percent.
   
• South Carolina has the highest female homicide rate per 100,000 females, 2.32, which is five times greater than in South Dakota, the state with the lowest, 0.48.

To read the full report and to see where your state ranks, please visit: 
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-for-women/10728/

As always Ability Chicago Info would like to acknowledge and thank WalletHub for publishing, and providing the article and it's findings.