Maine ranked 4th, New Hampshire 26th in women's equality, study finds

With Women's Equality Day around the corner and the U.S. ranking just 43rd for gender equality worldwide, the personal-finance website WalletHub recently released its report on the Best and Worst States for Women's Equality in 2024, as well as expert commentary, to determine where women receive the most equal treatment in American society.

WalletHub compared the 50 states across 17 key metrics. The data set ranges from the gap between female and male executives to the disparity in unemployment rates for women and men to the income gap.

Best vs. Worst

• In every state, women earn less than men. Rhode Island has the lowest gap, with women earning 0.40 percent less, whereas Utah has the highest, 26.90 percent.
  
• In nearly every state, women represent the highest share of minimum-wage workers. Alaska, Hawaii and North Dakota have an equal ratio of women to men. Delaware and Georgia have the highest minimum-wage workers gap, at 70.00 percent.
  
• Connecticut has the highest unemployment-rate gap favoring women, with 1.40 percent more unemployed men. Mississippi has the highest gap favoring men, with 1 percent more unemployed women. The unemployment rate is equal for men and women in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.
  
• In nearly every state legislature, male lawmakers outnumber their female counterparts. Nevada has the highest gap favoring women, with 52.00 percent more women. West Virginia has the highest gap favoring men, with 86.44 percent more men.

To view the full report and your state's rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-for-women-equality/5835


Expert Commentary

The U.S. is currently ranked 63rd globally when it comes to the gender gap in political empowerment. Are there strategies the US can learn from other countries to help close this gap?

"While the U.S. may have the opportunity to vote for a woman at the top of a major party ticket this year, political representation still lags at all levels. For instance, many states have never had a female governor, and most do not come close to parity in their legislatures. Normalizing women in politics at the local level could help... Parties will need to recruit and promote gender diverse candidates, up and down the ballot more intentionally. The media also needs to intentionally address gender bias in its coverage of candidates and elected leaders, such as calling women by their first names and focusing on their appearance. Any serious effort to address the political gender gap will need to reverse gerrymandering of voting maps. If voters cannot have their voices heard through the electoral process, democracy is harmed, people disengage, and it becomes more difficult to elect new and diverse leaders. Voter suppression bills also harm women as citizens and candidates. Research has shown that moving to a ranked choice voting system that gives voters the option to choose multiple candidates can increase the number of women running in and winning elections."
Jessie B. Ramey, Ph.D. - Director, Women's Institute; Associate Professor, Chatham University

"New Zealand offers a fascinating case study especially during the COVID pandemic and how it was handled by an incredibly talented female leader (Jacinda Ardein). The political climate, often driven by direct and aggressive tactics (frequently linked to male-dominated behaviors), aims to impress voters, but these approaches are both unethical and unproductive. Women on average tend to be more indirect and less confrontational, they are not politically rewarded in this environment. To address this, societal expectations must shift to value ethical behavior and integrative problem-solving over manipulative and regressive tactics we currently see on social media and television."
Katerina (Kate) Bezrukova - Associate Professor and Chair of Organization and Human Resources, University at Buffalo School of Management


What policies would prove effective at increasing female representation in senior management roles in the Fortune 500 and other large, multinational corporations?

"To increase the number of women in senior management, companies need to focus on every step of the corporate ladder, including the bottom rung. That 'broken rung' is the crucial first promotion in organizations that research shows is the leakiest part of the pipeline for career advancement, especially for women of color, women with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people. Effective policies to recruit, retain, and promote women include pay transparency, banning prior salary history questions when hiring, training managers, dealing directly with microaggressions, and supporting flexible work options. Because women still carry the disproportionate burden of care giving responsibilities, companies need to commit to family friendly policies, including paid family leave, paid sick leave, pregnancy and nursing protections, and support for childcare and other caring labor obligations that contribute to burnout."
Jessie B. Ramey, Ph.D. - Director, Women's Institute; Associate Professor, Chatham University

"Implementing policies that address systemic gender biases, such as the stereotype that women are submissive or weak and therefore incapable of leadership, is crucial. Additionally, promoting education that enhances cognitive flexibility can help challenge and change these outdated perceptions."
Katerina (Kate) Bezrukova - Associate Professor and Chair of Organization and Human Resources, University at Buffalo School of Management


How does inflation affect the gender pay gap?

"People with higher wages are more likely to receive raises at or over the inflation rate, and due to the current gender pay gap, that skews to men. A recent survey found that men are 33.3% more likely than women to have their salary keep up with inflation. This negatively affects both families headed by single moms and households with two earners."
Elizabeth Gregory - Professor; Director, Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies & Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality, University of Houston

"Inflation is down significantly from its high point during the COVID 19 pandemic. However, the gender pay gap remains stubbornly real, with women making around 78% of what men earn. The gap is far wider for Black, Latina, and Native American women, who make as little as 36% of men. And a 2022 survey found that men's salaries are a third more likely to keep up with inflation than women's. With women's wages increasing more slowly than men's, inflation delivers an extra punch as the growing cost of goods and services shrinks their purchasing power. If interest rates go up in response to inflation, women can experience a disproportionate impact when looking for loans to fund education, housing, or a new small business. Women already pay higher interest rates when banks perceive them as a greater lending risk, and in most states, women are paying more for their mortgages than men. Because the pay gap grows exponentially wider over a woman's lifetime, inflation can particularly impact older women who face both rising healthcare costs and a retirement savings gap."
Jessie B. Ramey, Ph.D. - Director, Women's Institute; Associate Professor, Chatham University