New ranking shows the best and worst states for women's equality
Neural images show no difference in math skills between genders, researchers say
A research team at Carnegie Mellon University found new evidence that there exists no difference in brain function or math ability between genders?
A new analysis has ranked the best states in the nation for women’s equality, as gender inequality remains a persistent issue in the United States, despite decades of progress since the passage of the 19th amendment.
WalletHub compared all 50 states across 17 measures of gender equality. The analysis examined factors ranging from the gap between female and male executives to differences in unemployment rates between women and men.
Hawaii takes the top spot
Big picture view:
Hawaii earned the No. 1 ranking because men and women experienced relatively similar conditions across the workplace, education and politics.
The data found that the state had no gender gap in the share of minimum-wage workers, an area where women nationally were more likely to be represented. Women in Hawaii were also 1.3% less likely to be unemployed than men and had a 4.6% higher job security rate, according to WalletHub.
Protesters walk during the Women's March on Washington, with the U.S. Capitol in the background, on January 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images)
The state also shows relatively small gender differences in academic performance. Fourth-grade girls and boys had a 1.1% difference in math scores, favoring boys. By eighth grade, the gap narrowed to 0.6%.
Hawaii also stood out politically. WalletHub found no gender disparity among the state’s U.S. Senate and House of Representatives delegations, although the state legislature itself remains more heavily male.
Top states for women’s equality
Dig deeper:
Maryland ranked second nationally, helped by the smallest gender pay gap in the country. Women’s median weekly earnings were 1.4% lower than men’s, according to WalletHub. Maryland also had the smallest gap between men and women in average hours worked.
Alaska ranked third, with entrepreneurship emerging as one of its strongest areas for gender equality. The state has the lowest disparity in entrepreneurship rates between men and women in the nation.
What they're saying:
"Ensuring women’s equality requires more than simply giving men and women the same fundamental rights," Chip Lupo, a WalletHub Analyst, said in a statement. "States also need to work to make sure that women receive equal treatment to men when it comes to financial opportunities, education, and politics. The best states for women’s equality have drastically reduced the disparities between men and women on multiple fronts."
Women still face obstacles
Why you should care:
Despite decades of advancement, many women still face barriers to equal opportunities in the workplace and beyond. In 2025, the U.S. ranked 42nd out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index, improving by only one spot from the previous year.
Women also remain disproportionately underrepresented in leadership positions, despite decades of progress. Women make up more than half of the U.S. population but hold only around one-third of legislative seats and 35% of S&P 500 board positions, according to data cited by WalletHub.
The Source: The information for this story was provided by WalletHub, which collected data as of July 20, 2026 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Women's Law Center, Institute for Women's Policy Research, The Nation's Report Card, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and Center for American Women and Politics. This story was reported from Los Angeles.