Columbia, Maryland ranks as No. 1 city for women due to good job, health outcomes
Columbia, Maryland has been ranked the No. 1 city in the nation for women due to its favorable conditions for good job prospects and positive health outcomes, according to a new survey released by the financial website WalletHub.
The survey notes that even though women make up a higher percentage of the population than men in most areas, they are not always located in the best places "to maximize their potential."
The study considered specific areas important for women, including potential career possibilities, work salaries, community safety and health benefits.
Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst who worked on the survey, said that living in the right city "can significantly improve a woman's economic status, health and safety."
Job security and pay boosted ranking
Lupo added that the best cities for women provide job security and high pay to enable them 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," he said.
Columbia ranked at the top of the list, followed by Seattle, Washington (2), Fremont, California (3), South Burlington, Vermont (4) and Washington, D.C. (5).
In its description of why Columbia took the top spot, WalletHub said one of the big reasons was because it has the highest median annual wages for women after adjusting for the cost of living, at $63,920. In addition, the website noted that the poverty rate for women in the city is only 8.2%, the eighth-lowest in the country.
The unemployment rate for women is also just over 3%, the 17th-lowest in the country, WalletHub said. As a comparison, the unemployment rate for women can be as high as 13% in other cities. Additionally, an estimated 23% of businesses in Columbia are owned by women, the 31st-highest percentage.
Women healthier, high life expectancy
In addition, women tend to have good health in Columbia, the website said. Columbia has the 10th-best life expectancy for women at birth.
It also enjoys the 12th-highest share of women over age 21 who have received a cervical cancer screening within the recommended time frame and the 3rd-highest share who have gotten a mammogram in the past two years. Nearly 86% of women in the city are physically active, the ninth-highest percentage in the country.
Columbia also ranked No. 2 in the category "women's economic and social well-being," and No. 3 for "women's healthcare and safety."
WalletHub said it used data from multiple government agencies and private organizations to compile the rankings. These included the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
