Michigan Named Among Best For Women’s Equality

MICHIGAN — Women won the right to vote more than a century ago this past June after a long, arduous fight. Unfortunately the gender gap in the 21st century America continues to grow, according to a recent report from WalletHub.

The disparity in equality between men and women is especially seen in the workplace, where women are disproportionately underrepresented in leadership positions, and only make up 25 percent of legislators and less than 29 percent of business executives, according to the report.

For Michigan women, the state narrowly missed a Top 10 spot and ranked 12th in the country on gender equality issues. Michigan scored high for female political empowerment, but lagged behind on workplace empowerment. Michigan ranked right in the middle for education and health.

WalletHub’s data set ranged from the income gap between men and women workers to the disparity in the share of lawmakers in the state legislature.

Maine ranked as the best state for women’s rights in the United States with a total score of 76.75, whereas Utah ranked as the worst with a score of 25.10 — 15 points below the state in the 49th position.

States were given scores based on three measurements: workplace environment, education and health, and political empowerment. Each of those dimensions were evaluated using 17 relevant metrics, which each had a corresponding point total.

Here’s how Michigan ranked in the three key dimensions:

• Workplace empowerment: 31
• Educational and health: 25
• Political empowerment: 4
• Total score: 62.82

Maine took home the top spot despite not finishing first in any of three measurement categories. New Mexico was the number one ranked state for women in the workplace environment, Hawaii was No. 1 in education and health, and Nevada was No. 1 in political empowerment.

Here are the top ten overall states for women’s equality in the country:

1. Maine
2. Hawaii
3. Nevada
4. New York
5. New Mexico
6. West Virginia
7. Minnesota
8. Colorado
9. Vermont
10. Delaware

Patch reporter Gus Saltonstall contributed to this report.