These are the best and worst cities for women in US, study finds

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Finding the perfect city to call home can be challenging, especially for women looking for a safe place to flourish.

A new analysis from WalletHub determined which metro areas in the United States are best for women to thrive and maximize their potential.

The personal finance website compared 182 cities, including 150 of the nation’s most populous, and scored them based on factors that could shape a woman’s quality of life.

Experts weighed metrics like job security, poverty, social well-being, safety, suicide rates and healthcare access when ranking each city.

Columbia, Maryland, ranked No. 1 overall on the list. The top city also had the highest median earnings for female workers when considering the cost of living.

The analysis noted that living in a city with better earnings potential may help set women up for future financial success because the gender wage gap usually widens with age.

Mostly West and East Coast cities rounded out the rest of the top 10.

Best cities for women

1. Columbia, MD
2. South Burlington, VT
3. Irvine, CA
4. Fremont, CA
5. Santa Clarita, CA
6. Seattle, WA
7. Gilbert, AZ
8. Overland Park, KS
9. Yonkers, NY
10. Pearl City, HI

As for the worst city overall, Jackson, Mississippi, took the No. 1 spot. The analysis also determined that Jackson had one of the highest unemployment rates for women.

Worst cities for women

1. Jackson, MS
2. Gulfport, MS
3. Brownsville, TX
4. Huntington, WV
5. Shreveport, LA
6. Augusta, GA
7. Charleston, WV
8. Laredo, TX
9. Mobile, AL
10. New Orleans, LA

The full report, along with a breakdown of the metrics used to rank each city, can be viewed at WalletHub.