Winston-Salem, N.C., is the 121st-best city for women, according to a new WalletHub study comparing 182 cities across 15 key indicators of living standards for women. The analysis considered factors ranging from median wages and unemployment rates to healthcare access and safety.
Nationally, women who work full-time still earn just 82% of what men earn, on average, according to the Department of Labor, and they remain underrepresented in leadership positions in business and politics. Still, some cities provide far better conditions for women than others.
“Living in the right city can significantly improve a woman's economic status, health, and safety,” said WalletHub analyst Milvionne Chery. “The best cities for women offer job security and high pay, enabling women to achieve greater financial independence. They also prioritize safety, including minimizing crime, and they provide easily accessible medical care at high-quality hospitals, contributing to the best possible physical and mental health for women.”
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In-Depth Look at Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem excels when it comes to preventive care, with the 17th-highest share of women receiving cervical cancer screenings and the 22nd-highest share of women receiving mammograms within the recommended time frame. It also ranks decently when it comes to mental healthcare, as it has the 57th-lowest suicide rate among women.
However, Winston-Salem has room for improvement in other areas, especially economically. For example, the city has the 15th-worst job security and the 51st-highest poverty rate for women. It also has the 48th-lowest women's life expectancy despite its strong access to preventive care.
How Winston-Salem Ranks in Other Key Metrics
- 69th: Median earnings for women, adjusted for the cost of living
- 85th: Share of physically active women
- 108th: Unemployment rate for women
- 128th: Uninsured rate for women
WalletHub's study groups the metrics into two categories: Women's Economic & Social Well-Being, which makes up 60% of the total scoring, and Women's Healthcare & Safety, which makes up the other 40%.
Winston-Salem ranks 117th for Women's Economic & Social Well-Being and 93rd for Women's Healthcare & Safety, which puts it in 121st place overall out of the 182 cities in WalletHub's study.
Best Cities for Women
Overall Rank | City | Total Score | Economic & Social Well-Being Rank | Healthcare & Safety Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Columbia, MD | 78.20 | 2 | 3 |
2 | Seattle, WA | 72.85 | 8 | 19 |
3 | Fremont, CA | 71.93 | 19 | 5 |
4 | South Burlington, VT | 71.38 | 33 | 1 |
5 | Washington, DC | 70.04 | 14 | 23 |
6 | San Francisco, CA | 67.90 | 42 | 9 |
7 | Overland Park, KS | 67.84 | 10 | 49 |
8 | Raleigh, NC | 67.19 | 6 | 64 |
9 | Gilbert, AZ | 67.07 | 5 | 68 |
10 | Santa Clarita, CA | 66.51 | 63 | 6 |
The methodology can be found on the full version of the article on WalletHub.
