Texas ranks 47th for 'woman friendliness,' report shows

Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman
·3 min read
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A recent report shows Texas ranked 47th among 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia for its "woman friendliness."

A study conducted by WalletHub revealed that, although women outnumber men in most states, their earnings and political representation are far below those of men. Here's what the data shows.

Texas ranks 47th overall in 'woman friendliness'

Among the 51 areas studied (including the District of Columbia), Texas ranked 47th overall in "woman friendliness." Only Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama scored lower.

Texas ranked the worst (51st) in the female uninsured rate and 44th for the number of unemployed women.

As of 2022, women make up 50.7% of the national population and 50.4% of the Texas population, according to the American Community Survey.

Source: WalletHub

“Women in the U.S. still face a lot of adversity, so living in the right state can greatly impact their quality of life," WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said. "The best states for women provide equitable economic conditions, encourage robust political participation, have quality health care, and ensure safety for the women who reside there.”

6 in 10 minimum wage workers in Texas are women

Across the U.S., women account for over two-thirds of tipped workers. The federal minimum cash wage has remained at $2.13 for three decades. Working full-time as a tipped worker brings in a meager $4,260 a year. Tipped workers are more than twice as likely to live in poverty compared to other workers.

The average salary in Texas: How does it compare in 2024?

In Texas, nearly 6 in 10 minimum wage workers are women. Currently, minimum wage is $7.25 — which is also the federal minimum wage. A full-time worker making minimum wage receives $14,500 annually.

Women's political representation in Texas, U.S.

Overall, blue states tend to be more woman-friendly than red states. WalletHub determined the political affiliation of each state based on how they voted in the 2020 presidential election.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), just 1 in 4 women hold seats in the U.S. Senate (25 in 100 total). Historically, only 4.5% of Senators have been women (60 in 1,319).

Texas has elected just one woman to the U.S. Senate. Kay Bailey Hutchison served from 1993 to 2013.

126 women are currently in the U.S. House of Representatives, making up 29% of the 435 seats. A total of 376 seats, or 3.6% of 10,506, have been held by women throughout history.

Texas also ranks low on women's preventive health, poverty

Here's how Texas ranked in some other categories, as first reported by the Dallas Morning News:

  • 19th in median earnings of female workers (adjusted for cost of living).

  • 40th in share of women in poverty.

  • 20th in high school graduation rate for women.

  • 35th in the share of women who voted in 2020 presidential election.

  • 31st in women’s life expectancy at birth.

  • 23rd in quality of women’s hospitals.

  • 41st in women’s preventive health care.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas one of the worst states for woman in the US, report finds