NC isn’t among the best states for women’s equity, a report says. Here’s why
Many advancements in women’s rights have been made in recent years, but a new report shows that North Carolina still has a long way to go to achieve gender equality.
According to a WalletHub study, the state ranks 25th for women’s equality.
To rank each state, WalletHub compared them across three key categories: workplace environment, education and health, and political empowerment.
According to the report, North Carolina received its lowest marks in political empowerment, coming in at No. 35. The score was calculated based on the number of women in Congress, the state legislature and state-elected executive positions compared to men.
North Carolina ranked 23rd in education and health, a position based on factors such as the percentage of women who hold advanced degrees.
The report also ranked North Carolina 23rd in workplace environment, weighing metrics like the average income among women and men, the share of women in minimum wage positions compared to men, and the “economic security disparity” between women and men.
According to a 2020 report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research used to calculate the economic disparity between women and men in each state, North Carolina households headed by working women are less likely to have enough income to meet their basic monthly expenses than other groups.
The report also found that 22% of single women with children in the state are financially secure, compared to 45% of single men with children.
North Carolina was ranked the highest among all neighboring states, including Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia, which came in at 31st, 45th, 46th and 49th, respectively.
New Mexico was ranked No. 1 in the report, followed by Nevada, California, New York and Vermont.
This story was originally published August 23, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
