- WalletHub analyzed data across the U.S. and ranked all 50 states and Washington D.C. to determine the best and worst states for women to live in.
- The study used metrics such as healthcare, safety, economic opportunity, and social well-being to calculate the rankings.
- Mississippi ranked last in the study, with low scores in women’s economic and social well-being and poor health outcomes.
- Massachusetts ranked first in the study, with high scores in healthcare access and low unemployment rates for women.
- The study highlights the disparities that still exist for women in the United States, despite progress made towards equality.
It’s Women’s History Month, a time to take stock of the many contributions that moms, daughters, grandmothers, aunts, wives and girlfriends have made to our society.
Women still have to bridge the gap if they want to see equality, according to a new data analysis from WalletHub. While they make up 51% of the U.S. population, women make up only 24% of the U.S. Senate and 29.2% of the House of Representatives.
“Despite improvements the U.S. has made over the years, women still lag behind men when it comes to economic prospects, executive positions and political representation. On top of tackling these important issues, the best states for women also ensure that they have access to high-quality health care, receive the same educational opportunities as men, and live in safe communities,” said Milvionne Chery Copeland, a WalletHub analyst.
WalletHub ranked issues like health care, money, social well-being and safety to rank 50 states and the District of Columbia for how well women fare.
Mississippi ranked dead last. Notably, the state has poor health outcomes for women, leading to one of the worst life expectancy rates in the nation.
Here’s what we know about the best, worst places for women to live in the U.S.
What makes a state better or worse for women?
To identify the best and worst states for women, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key dimensions, “Women’s Economic & Social Well-Being” and “Women’s Health Care & Safety.”
The company broke down those dimensions using 25 relevant metrics. Each was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for women. Each state and D.C. got a weighted average. That set the rankings.
The metrics included:
- Each state’s job security, earning and unemployment rates.
- Poverty data.
- Share of women-owned businesses and clout of those firms.
- High school graduation rates.
- Friendliness toward working moms and women’s equality.
- How many women voted in the 2020 presidential election.
- Homicide rate.
- How affordable doctor’s visits are.
- Abortion policy and access.
- Quality of women’s hospitals.
- How many women 18-44 have a regular doctor.
- How may are uninsured.
- Preventative care access.
- Shares of women who are physically active and how many have good or better health.
- Obesity.
- Baby-friendliess.
- Depression and suicide rates.
- Life expectancy.
- Rape prevalence.
How did Mississippi rank? Why is it the worst state for women?
Mississippi ranked last in the nation with a score of 35.73.
The state is majority female. According to KFF, women are 52% of the population.
The state came in last for women’s economic and social well-being, and that portion counted for 60% of the score.
About 7 in 10 minimum wage workers in the state were women in 2019, according to the National Women’s Law Center.
The Magnolia State performed slightly better than Arkansas and Oklahoma, ranking 48th on health care and safety.
Mississippi women have one of the worst life expectancies in the nation, according to an analysis of Centers for Disease Control data.
Here are some of the state’s noteworthy rankings:
- 50 – Share of Women in Poverty.
- 48 – Share of Women-Owned Businesses.
- 50 – High School Graduation Rate for Women.
- 50 – Women’s Life Expectancy at Birth.
How long do people live in Mississippi?
Mississippi ranked dead last in a CDC ranking of all 50 states and the District of Columbia when looking at 2021 data. The Magnolia State had a 70.9-year life expectancy rate.
The life expectancy for men in Mississippi was the lowest in the U.S. at 67.7 years.
Women, however, ranked 50th with an average of 74.3. West Virginia women were in 51st place.
At age 65, people in Mississippi are expected to live about another 16 years, on average. It’s about 14.6 years for men and 17.5 years for women.
See the best, worst states for women
See the Top 10 worst states for women
Here are the Top 10 places for women to live in the U.S., according to WalletHub’s study:
- Mississippi.
- Oklahoma.
- Arkansas.
- Louisiana.
- Texas.
- Alabama.
- Wyoming.
- West Virginia.
- Georgia.
- Missouri.
What is the best state for women? Why?
Massachusetts was declared to be the best state for women in 2025.
WalletHub highlights Massachusetts’ low unemployment rates for women and its low percentage of women who lack health insurance, at 2.1%. The high-quality health care that women get contributes to the fact that the state has the second-highest life expectancy for women.
“Women in Massachusetts can rely on great health care in general, as the state’s hospitals rank fifth in the nation for women’s health care,” the study said. “In addition, Massachusetts has the second-lowest share of women who couldn’t afford to see a doctor in the past year and the second-highest share who’ve had a mammogram within the past two years.”
See the Top 10 best states for women
Here are the Top 10 places for women to live in the U.S., according to WalletHub’s study:
- Massachusetts.
- Minnesota.
- District of Columbia.
- New York.
- Maryland.
- Maine.
- Vermont.
- New Jersey.
- Washington.
- Hawaii.
What’s the history of Women’s History Month?
Starting off as “International Women’s Day” in 1911, it soon evolved to entire month in the 1980s and has a designated a theme for each year. The theme for 2025 is “Moving Forward Together,” spotlighting “women educating and inspiring generations.”
Samantha Neely is a business and trending reporter for the Fort Myers News Press.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.
