There's an article out this week that ranks the best and worst states for women.
2018’s Best & Worst States for Women
Let's take a look at the highs and lows.
First up is neighboring Arkansas, next to worst at 50.
Also neighboring Oklahoma down there, too, at 48.
Here's where it gets more local and interesting yet.
Missouri?
37 The bottom, worst half
37. Missouri
Total score: 50.85th
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 36
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 38th
Missouri landed in the mid-30s in other Wallet Hub rankings as well, coming in at 38 out of 51 on the list of best states for working moms and 37 out of 51 for best states to have a baby.
Then there's Kansas.
Still in the bottom, bad half, at 28 but at least they’re more in the middle, than the low, low worst ¼ .
28. Kansas
Total score: 56.21
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 33rd
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 25th
Kansas performs better in the category of women’s health and safety than it does when it comes to women’s economic and social well-being.
Texas, still in the bottom, worst half at 42. Shame on you, Texas.
Neighboring Nebraska, in the far more respectable top half
17. Nebraska
Total score: 64.82
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 19th
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 14th
Nebraska shares the distinction of having the lowest unemployment rate for women with four other states.
Going the other way, next door Illinois ranks far higher and better.
11. Illinois
Total score: 69.07
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 7th
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 20th
Only two states have a lower homicide rate for women than Illinois, which also boasts the fourth-highest median earnings for female workers.
Now, to the North? Iowa In the top 10.
9. Iowa
Total score: 69.11
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 10th
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 9th
Iowa boasts the fifth-highest high-school graduation rate for young women.
No. 1 position??
I’m very proud and happy to say my daughter’s adopted state of Minnesota is number 1! Fantastic!
1. Minnesota
Total score: 78.22
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 1st
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 3rd
Minnesota, hats off to you! The Land of 10,000 Lakes topped the list of best states for women by three points. It’s easy to see why — and tough to find a positive economic marker this state doesn’t possess. Minnesota has the third-highest life expectancy rate for women, the fifth-lowest rate of women without insurance, the fourth-highest women’s high-school graduation rate, the fifth-lowest percentage of women in poverty and the second-highest median earnings for working women. Go, Gophers!
One interesting side note, North Dakota came down at an extremely respectable 4 on the list while neighboring South Dakota was far tougher on women at 24.
The conclusion?
Missouri and these other low-ranking states would do well to look around and see just what, precisely these other, higher-ranking states are doing to get these results. Not only is this for 1/2 of our population but it's for our mothers, daughters, sisters, cousins, all.
It's not like we have to go far for the answers, after all.
