The Best Cities For Women To Live And Work

Pinpointing the best cities for women to live and work requires examining vital factors like healthcare, economic opportunity, and community support. This can be tricky because choosing where to live and work is not a one-size-fits-all situation.

For those looking to make a change, here’s a list of the top locations for women to live and work.

WalletHub’s panel of experts and data sources revealed the top ten states that scored highest in women’s health care and safety.

They are:

• Massachusetts
• New York
• New Jersey
• Connecticut
• Hawaii
• The District of Columbia
• Minnesota
• Vermont
• Maryland
• California

Overall, Massachusetts has the lowest percentage of women lacking health insurance (2.1%), the second-highest proportion of women able to access medical care financially, and the second-highest life expectancy for women. Massachusetts also ranks #1 as the best state to have a baby and the best state for working moms and families. Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native women, who have the highest maternal mortality rates, are included in this statistic.

The top ten states in this category are:

• Minnesota
• The District of Columbia
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Maryland
• Washington
• New York
• Wisconsin
• Oregon
• Rhode Island

A 2024 economic report by The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota (WFM) did challenge some findings. While the WFM states that Minnesota leads the nation for women’s unemployment rates, Latina, Black, and Indigenous women still face persistent wage and wealth inequalities. The WFM also mentions wealth gap disparity and how the Twin Cities have the most significant Black-white homeownership gap of any metropolitan region in the U.S.

These factors, among others, influence where different ethnicities will thrive, a phenomenon called the Livability Index. The Index, as noted by Black Health Matters (BHM), fails to consider the experiences of non-white people. To gain deeper insights into this issue, CityLab, a research center focused on sustainable and equitable urban development, collaborated with urban sociologists to identify the best metro areas for Black women to live and work.

BHM identifies the ten leading cities as:

• Greensboro, North Carolina
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Orlando, Florida
• Miami, Florida
• Raleigh, North Carolina
• Tampa, Florida; Washington, D.C.
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Charlotte, North Carolina

Many demographic groups are underrepresented in studies, with data frequently lacking or failing to account for their specific needs. For Hispanic women, data is utilized from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and Annual Business Survey, alongside the MIT Living Wage Calculator.

The results identified Doral, Florida, and Downey, California, as leading locations for Hispanic women’s economic well-being.Also, 51% of Doral residents hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and 8% run their businesses, placing it at the top in both areas. Downey, positioned second, also ranks 14th for the lowest poverty rate, 15th for the highest number of homeowners, and 26th for median earnings within this demographic. 

Additionally, the same study found two other California cities, Chula Vista and Santa Clarita, to be excellent for Hispanic women. Chula Vista features the 20th-largest Hispanic female population and ranks 13th for the percentage of business ownership within this group. Meanwhile, Santa Clarita boasts the fifth-lowest poverty rate and the 13th-highest median earnings.

Data is particularly limited for Asian women. MoneyGeek shows that Redwood City, California, is recognized for its overall prosperity within the Asian community. Irving, Texas, also stands out for its educational attainment and income levels. Johns Creek, Georgia, features high median individual earnings and a significant share of Asian Americans with college degrees. 

The U.S. Census Bureau reports about 7.4 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. Unfortunately, there is no data on where Native women will thrive, and the Institute for Women’s Policy Research data reveals they may have to wait 200 years to achieve pay equity. Furthermore, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women earn less than White men across all states, except for Delaware.