Today is Women’s Equality Day, the day commemorating the adoption of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920, which guaranteed women the right to vote.
Although women’s rights in the United States have improved since the passage of the 19th amendment, many women continue to struggle because of unequal treatment in society. Unfortunately, the gender gap in 21st century America has only expanded.
In 2025, the U.S. failed to place in the top 10 – or even the top 30 – of the World Economic Forum’s ranking of 148 countries based on gender equality. The U.S. ranked 42nd, up one place from the previous year.
The workplace provides even more evidence of inequality. Despite their advances toward social equality, women are struggle because of unequal treatment . Women are more than 50 percent of the population, but make up only about 28 percent of legislators and 33 percent of S&P 500 board seats.
To determine where women receive the most equal treatment, WalletHub, a personal finance website, compared the 50 states on 17 key indicators of gender equality. The data range from the gap between female and male executives to the disparity in unemployment rates for women and men.
Best states for women’s equality
1. Hawaii
2. Nevada
3. Maryland
4. Maine
5. Oregon
6. New Mexico
7. California
8. Iowa
9. Alaska
10. Vermont
Worst states for women’s equality
41. Ohio
42. Virginia
43. New Jersey
44. Wyoming
45. Oklahoma
46. Louisiana
47. Arkansas
48. Idaho
49. Texas
50. Utah
Best vs. worst
- In every state, women earn less than men. California has the lowest gap, with women earning 10.10 percent less, whereas Louisiana has the highest, 26.30 percent.
- In nearly every state, women represent the highest share of minimum-wage workers. Alaska, Hawaii, and North Dakota have an equal ratio of women to men. Delaware and Georgia have the highest minimum-wage workers gap, at 70 percent.
- West Virginia has the highest unemployment-rate gap favoring women, with 2.20 percent more unemployed men. Kentucky has the highest gap favoring men, with 1.30 percent more unemployed women. The unemployment rate is equal for men and women in Iowa, Maine, and Minnesota.
- In nearly every state legislature, male lawmakers outnumber women. Nevada has the highest gap favoring women, with 62.50 percent more women. West Virginia has the highest gap favoring men, with 86.44 percent more men.
“Ensuring women’s equality requires more than simply giving men and women the same fundamental rights,” said Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst. “States also need to work to make sure that women receive equal treatment to men when it comes to financial opportunities, education, and politics.”
Lupo said the best states for women’s equality have drastically reduced the disparities between men and women on many fronts.
