10 Best, Worst US States for the Ladies

Women make up just over half of the population in America, so one would think that health care, job opportunities, and goodwill toward working parents as they relate to women would be a top priority. WalletHub took a look at all 50 states, plus the District at Columbia, analyzing two dozen metrics in two main categories: women's economic and social well-being—e.g., median earnings, job security, friendliness toward working mothers, and the high school graduation rate—as well as women's health care and safety, which includes such factors as the share of physically active women, their depression and suicide rates, and life expectancy. Massachusetts gets top scores, while Louisiana could use some work. Check out the rest of the best and the worst:

The best states for women:

1. Massachusetts (No. 1 in "Women's Health and Safety" category)
2. Minnesota (No. 1 in "Women's Economic and Social Well-Being" category)
3. Iowa
4. Maine
5. Colorado
6. District of Columbia
7. Hawaii
8. Connecticut
9. Rhode Island
10. Vermont

Read on for the states that could use some work on the female front.

The worst states for women:

1. Louisiana (last in "Women's Economic and Social Well-Being" category)
2. Mississippi
3. Arkansas (last 1 in "Women's Health and Safety" category)
4. Alabama
5. Oklahoma
6. South Carolina
7. Idaho
8. West Virginia
9. Texas
10. Georgia

See how the other states fared here. (Related: the best and worst states for gender equality.)