Minnesota, Vermont, and New Hampshire top the list, with the highest combined marks in economics, social well-being, health care, and safety. The worst states for women overall: Louisiana, South Carolina, and Nevada.
RELATED: Don’t Just Get Mad At The Pay Gap—Get Ahead Of It
Here are seven other rankings you should know before making a big move.
1. Women earn the most in D.C. The East Coast is a hot spot for female high-earners—Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware are also on the list of highest median earnings for female workers. Lowest median earnings for women can be found in Hawaii, Oregon, and California.
2. Women have the highest chance of being unemployed in California. New Mexico, Nevada and D.C. also have high rates of unemployment among women. Want to move somewhere with a super strong showing of women in the work-force? Head to North Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, or Montana.
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3. Mississippi has the highest rates of women living in poverty. Mississippi is accompanied by fellow Southern states Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas, which also have high rates of women living below the poverty line. Not entirely surprising when you consider women still make up three-fifths of minimum wage workers nationwide. But it’s not all bad news—things are three times better in states with the lowest female poverty rates. New Hampshire, Alaska, and Maryland top the list.
4. Alaska dominates in women-owned businesses. Okay so maybe the frozen tundra isn’t where you’d imagined setting up shop (we don’t blame you). Colorado, Virginia, Florida, and Georgia are also on the list of best places for female entrepreneurs.
RELATED: Read This if You’re Thinking of Starting Your Own Business
5. New Hampshire has the lowest high school dropout rate among women. Diploma domination also happens in Idaho, Indiana, and Minnesota—especially important if you’re thinking about where to start a family. As we know, better education is strongly linked to better opportunities and income potential (and even a more active lifestyle).
6. Women in D.C. show up at the polls. Especially in an election year, showing up to vote on major women’s health issues like reproductive rights is hugely important. Women in D.C., Mississippi, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Colorado hit the polls in the biggest numbers.
RELATED: Why Women’s Health Is Talking About Politics
7. Texas has the highest rate of uninsured women. Insurance rates among women have huge impacts on our access to healthcare. The outlook isn’t so pretty for women in Texas (especially considering the ongoing arguments in Women’s Health vs. Hellerstedt), Nevada, or Florida.