A new study from WalletHub determined Massachusetts as the best state in 2024 to be a woman. The personal finance website compared all 50 states and Washington D.C. in 25 key indicators of standards of living for women.
Data ranged from median earnings for female employees to women’s health and safety. Unsurprisingly, Massachusetts ranked at the number one spot for the “Women’s Health Care” data set.
It also fared pretty well across all 25 categories, giving it the highest cumulative score of any state, 74.70. This concluded Massachusetts as the “best state for women in 2024,” according to WalletHub.
Massachusetts also scored as seventh best in “women’s economic and social well-being.”
“Women in the U.S. still face a lot of adversity, so living in the right state can greatly impact their quality of life. The best states for women provide equitable economic conditions, encourage robust political participation, have quality health care, and ensure safety for the women who reside there,” notes Cassandra Happe, a WalletHub analyst.
A team of eight female WalletHub analysts in total compiled and analyzed the data.
In-depth analysis of womanhood in Massachusetts
Massachusetts is the best state for women in 2024 according to WalletHub. It has among the lowest unemployment rates for women, at just 2.8%.
Massachusetts also has the lowest percent of women without health insurance in any state, at 2.1%. Massachusetts hospitals rank third best in the nation for women’s health care.
The state also has the third-highest life expectancy for women and ranked as the best state to have a baby, raise a family, and the best state for working moms.
Key data points and methodology
As noted, 25 key data points were analyzed for this report. These data points were broken down into two major weighted categories as depicted below:
Women’s Economic & Social Well-Being
- Median Earnings for Female Workers
- Unemployment Rate for Women
- Job Security for Women
- Share of Women Living in Poverty
- Unaffordability of Doctor’s Visit
- Share of Women-Owned Businesses
- “Economic Clout” of Women-Owned Firms
- High School Graduation Rate for Women
- Friendliness Toward Working Moms
- Friendliness Toward Women’s Equality
- Share of Women Who Voted in the 2020 Presidential Election
Women’s Health Care & Safety
- Abortion Policies & Access
- Quality of Women’s Hospitals
- Quality of Primary Care Providers
- Female Uninsured Rate
- Share of Women with Good or Better Health
- Women’s Preventive Health Care
- Share of Physically Active Women
- Share of Women Who Are Obese
- Baby-Friendliness
- Depression Rate for Women
- Suicide Rate for Women
- Prevalence of Rape Victimization Among Women
- Female Homicide Rate
- Women’s Life Expectancy at Birth
Best states in America for women
Massachusetts scored most positively amongst all states. Below are the top ten states for women according to WalletHub:
- Massachusetts
- District of Columbia
- Minnesota
- Vermont
- Maine
- Maryland
- New York
- Hawaii
- New Jersey
- Delaware
Connecticut came in at number 13. New Hampshire followed not too far behind, ranking at number 18, making all of New England among the top 20.
Vermont revealed the lowest unemployment rate in America for women. New Hampshire had the lowest women’s poverty rate, and the fourth highest female voter participation in the 2020 elections.
On the contrary, the worst states for women in 2024 according to the report are:
- Oklahoma
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Texas
- Arkansas
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
- Georgia
- Missouri