Economics
Women Thrive in Northeast U.S. and Languish Across the South
- Vermont, Maryland best states for women, Bloomberg data show
- Mississipi ranks among the worst for women in gender index
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Vermont is the best state for basic gender equality and Maryland for female leadership, according to a Bloomberg analysis of pay and power nationwide. Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama were among the worst for American women.
The annual Bloomberg analysis has measured factors such as labor-force participation, education, political representation, health care and corporate leadership since 2016. Even with gains, only a handful of states scored better than 80 points on the 0 to 100 scale, the data showed. Democrat-controlled states were best for women, and Republican states were the worst.