Special Report

Worst States for Women

Women have made big strides in their quest for gender equality, but there is much to do, as the rise of the #MeToo and Times Up movements indicate.

Sexual harassment at work is but one of the issues at the heart of gender inequality in the United States. Other issues are the gender pay gap, a lack of flexibility in the workplace during pregnancy and early motherhood, a relative lack of women in managerial positions, and a dearth of women holding positions of political influence.

Though no state has achieved gender pay equity, many have made progress in closing the earnings gap, improving in other areas, such as funding pre-K programs, passing laws that make it easier for women to stay in the workforce when they have children, and electing women to office.

Even so, some states remain unfavorable to women in every major category. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed and ranked from best to worst all 50 states based on measures of gender equality in three main areas: economy, leadership, and health. Each category consists of several measures, from gender pay gap to the percentage of women in management roles to the percentage of women who lack health insurance.

Click here to see the worst states for women.
Click her to see our detailed findings and methodology.

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