15 best, worst states for women

The top states for women — defined by economic opportunity, health, safety and wellbeing — are largely clustered along the East Coast. 

The 2024 ranking comes from WalletHub, which compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 25 metrics for two dimensions: (1) economic and social well-being and (2) healthcare and safety.

Metrics include the median earnings for female workers, share of women per state living in poverty, the unemployment rate among women, quality of women's hospitals, reproductive policies and access, uninsured rate among women, and female homicide and rape rates. 

Massahcusetts and Washington, D.C., top the list with scores of 74.70 and 73.54, respectively. Each ranked No. 1 in one of the two domains measured. New Jersey ranked second in the domain for women's healthcare and safety, but its placement at No. 14 for economic and social well-being dragged down its overall ranking. 

Conversely, Oklahoma and Louisiana lag the list with scores of 33.80 and 35.50, respectively. Each ranked in last place for one of the two domains measured.

The best 
1. Massachusetts 
2. District of Columbia 
3. Minnesota 
4. Vermont 
5. Maine 
6. Maryland 
7. New York
8. Hawaii 
9. New Jersey 
10. Delaware
11. Washington 
12. Oregon 
13. Connecticut 
14. Wisconsin 
15. Rhode Island 
16. California 

The worst 
51. Oklahoma 
50. Louisiana 
49. Mississippi 
48. Alabama
47. Texas 
46. Arkansas 
45. West Virginia
44. Wyoming 
43. Georgia 
42. Missouri 
41. Idaho 
40. South Carolina 
39. Kansas 
38. Nevada
37. Indiana 

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