Best & Worst States for Women 

In 2026, women across the United States continue to face significant disadvantages—even though they outnumber menin most states. Women account for nearly 51% of the U.S. population, yet they make up more than two-thirds of all minimum-wage workers nationwide. Their political representation also lags, with women holding just 26% of Senate seats and 29.4% of seats in the House of Representatives.

To assess how women are doing and identify where they have the strongest opportunities, WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 25 key indicators of women’s living standards. These metrics range from median earnings for female workers to the quality of women’s health care and the female homicide rate.

“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.”

Milvionne Chery Copeland, WalletHub Analyst 

In-Depth Look at the Best States for Women

Massachusetts

Massachusetts is the best state for women in 2026, in part because it has one of the largest share of women with good or better health. The Bay State, whose governor is a woman, also has the lowest share of women who lack health insurance, at 2%.

Women in Massachusetts can rely on great health care in general, as the state’s hospitals rank second in the nation for women’s health care. In addition, Massachusetts has the third-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. The high quality health care that women receive in Massachusetts contributes to the fact that the state has the second-highest life expectancy for women.

Finally, Massachusetts is a great state for women who plan to have children. It ranks as the best state to have a baby inand the best state for working moms.

District of Columbia

The District of Columbia is the second-best place for women to live, and it has the highest median income for women, at $52,569, adjusted for the cost of living. It’s also our nation’s capital and home to Congress, which currently has a near-record number of women serving. And speaking of political participation, D.C. has the highest share of women who voted in the 2024 presidential election, at 80.5%.

In addition to higher-than-average earnings, women in the District of Columbia enjoy the best job security in the country, which means they’re less susceptible to layoffs than women in other states. Many women even work for themselves, as the District has the ninth-highest share of women-owned businesses in the country.

Finally, women lead healthy lives in the District of Columbia, which has the highest percentage of women in good or better health, at nearly 88%, as well as the highest share of women who are physically active. D.C. has the seventh-lowest obesity rate for women, too. Plus, it has the second-lowest share of women who lack health insurance.

Maine

Maine is the third-best state for women, in large part because it creates excellent economic opportunities for women. Maine stands among the top 10 states for job security, ranking ninth overall. It has one of the lowest unemployment rates among women, too. In addition, Maine has the seventh-lowest share of women who were unable to afford a doctor’s visit in the past year.

The state also ranks well across several key health and safety indicators, including the 10th-lowest female homicide rate, the 13th-highest share of women who are physically active, and the sixth-highest percentage of women who have received a mammogram within the past two years, underscoring strong access to preventive healthcare.

To top things off, Maine has one of the best four-year high school graduation rates for women, reflecting the state’s strong emphasis on education and opportunity.

Methodology

In order 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.” 

We examined those dimensions using 25 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for women. 

We then determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the states.