California has some of the best cities for women, new study shows. Where are they?
California is home to five of the 10 U.S. cities where women have the best chances to succeed, according to a new WalletHub study.
The personal finance website ranked the Best & Worst Cities for Women in the United States to reveal which major cities are better equipped to address women’s economic, health and safety needs.
“The best cities for women offer job security and high pay, enabling women to achieve greater financial independence,” WalletHub analyst Christie Matherne said in the report, published Monday, Sept. 23.
“They also prioritize safety, provide easily accessible medical care and have high-quality hospitals, contributing to the best possible physical and mental health for women,” Matherne added.
According to WalletHub, the No. 1 best city for women is Columbia, Maryland, due to its low poverty rate, affordable cost of living, low unemployment rate and high life expectancy.
The site gave the city an overall score of 76.31 out of 100.
Two California cities were next on the list. Fremont came in second place, and Huntington Beach was third.
Here’s where other California cities ranked:
Where are the best cities for women in California?
Fremont was the second-best city for women, earning a total score of 74.08 out of 100, WalletHub said.
The Bay Area city has a low poverty rate of 6% and median annual wages of $46,986 after adjusting for cost of living.
The city also has excellent job security and health care, with only 2.5% of women lacking health insurance and a high life expectancy, WalletHub said. Fremont has lower rates of sexual crimes and suicide among women as well.
Huntington Beach ranked third, with an overall score of 70.53.
Women in the Southern California city have a life expectancy of more than 85 years and good access to health care, WalletHub said.
The city also has strong job security, a low poverty rate and a high percentage of women-owned businesses.
Irvine was No. 4 on WalletHub’s list, ranking high in terms of women’s health care and safety. No. 22 for women’s economic and social well-being.
San Francisco, which was fifth on the list, ranked among the top 10 cities for women’s health care and safety.
Santa Clarita ranked No. 6 on the WalletHub list, and also scored high in terms of women’s health care and safety.
Where are the best cities for women in the US?
WalletHub said these are the top 10 best cities for women in the United States:
- Columbia, Maryland
- Fremont
- Huntington Beach
- Irvine
- San Francisco
- Santa Clarita
- Washington D.C.
- Juneau, Arkansas
- Seattle
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Where are the worst cities for women in the US?
These are the 10 worst cities for women in the country, according to WalletHub:
- Columbus, Georgia
- Lubbock, Texas
- Akron, Ohio
- Laredo, Texas
- Huntington, West Virginia
- Shreveport, Louisiana
- August, Georgia
- Brownsville, Texas
- Gulfport, Mississippi
- Jackson, Mississippi
How did WalletHub come up with its findings?
WalletHub looked at 182 cities across the United States — the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — to find the best places for women to succeed.
The site considered 15 metrics, including how much women earn, unemployment rates, the quality of hospitals for women and access to preventive healthcare.
Each location was then awarded a score, with 100 indicating the best possible conditions for women.
This story was originally published September 24, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "California has some of the best cities for women, new study shows. Where are they?."
