Overall
The Best and Worst States Overall for Women in 2015
| Best and Worst States for Women in 2015 | |||
Best States |
Rank |
Worst States |
Rank |
Minnesota |
1 |
Alabama (tied) |
51 (tied) |
Connecticut |
2 (tied) |
Mississippi (tied) |
51 (tied) |
Massachusetts |
2 (tied) |
Kentucky (tied) |
49 (tied) |
Vermont |
2 (tied) |
Tennessee (tied) |
49 (tied) |
California |
5 (tied) |
Florida (tied) |
47 (tied) |
Hawaii |
5 (tied) |
Texas (tied) |
47 (tied) |
Maryland |
5 (tied) |
||
Oregon |
5 (tied) |
Dishonorable Mention |
|
Colorado |
9 (tied) |
Ohio |
|
Rhode Island |
9 (tied) |
||
Maine |
11 (tied) |
||
Washington |
11 (tied) |
||
Each of the best states for women appears in the top ten on at least one composite index; none appears below the midpoint of all states on any of the composite indices. Twelve states qualified under these criteria. Each of the worst states appears in the bottom ten at least once and is below the midpoint of all states on all of the composite indices. Six states meet these criteria. For more on the methodology for ranking the states and for source information, see Appendices 1–6.
No state received honorable mention (given to states that rank in the top half of all states on all of the composite indices but never rank in the top ten of all states). Ohio received a dishonorable mention because it ranked below the midpoint of all states on each of the composite indices, yet never ranked in the bottom ten of all states for any composite.
Employment and Earnings
| Best and Worst States on Women’s Employment and Earnings | |||||
| State | Rank | Grade | State | Rank | Grade |
| District of Columbia | 1 | A | West Virginia | 51 | F |
| Maryland | 2 | B+ | Idaho | 50 | F |
| Massachusetts | 3 | B+ | Louisiana | 49 | F |
| New Jersey | 4 | B | Mississippi | 48 | F |
| Connecticut | 5 | B | Arkansas | 47 | F |
Poverty and Opportunity
| Best and Worst States on Women’s Poverty and Opportunity | |||||
| State | Rank | Grade | State | Rank | Grade |
| District of Columbia | 1 | A- | Mississippi | 51 | F |
| Maryland | 2 | B+ | Arkansas | 50 | F |
| Massachusetts | 3 | B+ | West Virginia | 49 | D- |
| Connecticut | 4 | B | Kentucky | 48 | D- |
| Hawaii | 5 | B | Louisiana | 47 | D- |
Health and Well-Being
| State | Rank | Grade | State | Rank | Grade | ||
| Minnesota | 1 | A- | Mississippi | 51 | F | ||
| Hawaii | 2 | B+ | Alabama | 50 | F | ||
| North Dakota | 3 | B+ | Louisiana | 49 | F | ||
| Utah | 4 | B | District of Columbia | 48 | F | ||
| Nebraska | 5 | B | Arkansas | 47 | D- | ||
Reproductive Rights
| State | Rank | Grade | State | Rank | Grade | ||
| Oregon | 1 | A- | South Dakota | 51 | F | ||
| Vermont | 2 | A- | Nebraska | 50 | F | ||
| Maryland | 3 | A- | Kansas | 49 | F | ||
| New Jersey | 4 | A- | Idaho | 48 | F | ||
| Hawaii | 5 | A- | Tennessee | 47 | D- | ||
Work & Family
| Best and Worst States on Work & Family |
|||||
| State | Rank | Grade | State | Rank | Grade |
| New York | 1 | B | Indiana | 51 | F |
| California | 2 | B | Utah | 50 | F |
| District of Columbia | 3 | B | Montana | 49 | F |
| New Jersey | 4 | B- | Mississippi | 48 | D- |
| Rhode Island | 5 | B- | Wyoming | 47 | D- |
Political Participation
| Best and Worst States on Women’s Political Participation | |||||
| State | Rank | Grade | State | Rank | Grade |
| New Hampshire | 1 | B+ | Utah | 50 | F |
| Minnesota | 2 | B | Texas | 49 | F |
| Maine | 3 | B | West Virginia | 48 | F |
| Washington | 4 | B | Arkansas | 47 | F |
| Massachusetts | 5 | B- | Louisiana | 46 | D- |