Columbia, Md., is the best city in the U.S. for women and Jackson, Miss., is the worst, according to a new analysis published by WalletHub.
The personal finance company released its 2024 "Best & Worst Cities for Women" ranking on Sept. 23. The ranking compares 182 cities — including the nation's 150 most populated cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two key dimensions: women's economic and social well-being and women's healthcare and safety.
WalletHub subdivided its dimensions across 15 metrics, ranging from the median yearly wages and unemployment rate for women to the quality of women's hospitals and access to preventive healthcare. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the best conditions for women. WalletHub then calculated a weighted average across all metrics for each state to determine its overall score and ranking.
WalletHub analysts noted that Columbia, Md., is the city with the highest median annual wages for women, after adjusting for the cost of living, at $59,230; a poverty rate for women of 8.9%; and an unemployment rate for women that is slightly above 4%, the 27th-lowest in the U.S. More information on the study methodology and the complete listing from WalletHub is available here.
The 10 best cities for women, per the analysis:
1. Columbia, Md.
2. Fremont, Calif.
3. Huntington Beach, Calif.
4. Irvine, Calif.
5. San Francisco
6. Santa Clarita, Calif.
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Juneau, Alaska
9. Seattle
10. Scottsdale, Ariz.
The 10 worst cities for women, per the analysis:
1. Jackson, Miss.
2. Gulfport, Miss.
3. Brownsville, Texas
4. Augusta, Ga.
5. Shreveport, La.
6. Huntington, W.Va.
7. Laredo, Texas
8. Akron, Ohio
9. Lubbock, Texas
10. Columbus, Ga.