Here's The Best & Worst States For Black Women

When we say the DMV region we’re talking Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Southern Virginia. All of these states ranked as top places for women, so we clustered them together.

Maryland and Virginia rank high in employment and earnings, work and family life, as well as health and well-being.

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But one area where Black women are excelling exceptionally is Virginia.  In Alexandria, for example, 92% of women are living above the poverty rate. In Virginia Beach, 91% of Black women live about the poverty rate, and in Hampton, 85 % of Black women live about the poverty rate.

This one is a surprise to us as well, since the Black population of Massachusetts is only 9%.

But the city that puts this state on the map is the capital city – Boston.

Massachusetts as a whole is great for women for work and family life, safety, and employment opportunities. But in Boston, Black women are living above average economically, according to recent data.

There’s still some work that needs to be done when it comes to employment and earnings for women, but overall, New York is a great place for health and well-being. 

New Rochelle and New York City are both cities where Black women live about the poverty level. Even though the cost of living in New York City is pretty high, both cities rank high for Black women’s homeownership. We’re here for this!

Inglewood, Fairfield, Rancho Cucamonga, Moreno Valley, Compton, Palmdale, and Hawthrone,  are just a few cities that make California great for Black women.

Just look at the top 25 cities on the list. You’ll notice that Black women living in California cities are living 80% or more above the poverty level.

California is also great for balancing work and family life, and above-average for health and well-being.

This one should come as no surprise as Austin, Dallas, Grand Prairie, Houston, and Missouri City are cities where Black women are thriving.

These five Texan cities are where more than 70 % of Black women are living above the poverty level.  Texas also ranks as number 9 for health and well-being. 

It’s important to note that aside from the cities listed, some work can be done in Texas. Corpus Christi is one of the worst cities for Black women. It received a score of 0 from Money Geek, making it the worst city for Black women.

Even though Florida is home to some great cities, it’s not a state where Black women are thriving, according to the data from Money Geek.

South Florida is home to four cities at the bottom of Money Geek’s ranking, compared to two at the top of the list.

Where Black women are flourishing in Florida may surprise you, as Pembroke Pines is the only city on the top ten list.

Tampa and Jacksonville are cities where Black women are clearly not appreciated considering the overall outcomes are less than average.   Miami is not a good place for Black women ranking the third-worst.

Mississippi is one of the worst states for women period when considering the education rates. The employment opportunities and incomes are also among the worst in the United States.

For Black women, specifically, a majority are living below the median, according to Bloomberg’s City Lab data.

Gulfport, Mississippi is considered at the top of the list of the worst cities for Black women.

Employment opportunities are bleak in Alabama for women, work-life balance is low, and the education rate is one of the lowest. These factors are why Alabama makes the list.

There’s also a racial pay gap. Using Birmingham as an example, the average income for Black women is a little more than $35,000. When comparing the data across the state, white households make at least $10,000 more on average, according to the Alabama Advertiser.

Education and employment in Louisiana are some of the worst in the country for women as a whole.

Surprisingly? The bigger cities like New Orleans and Baton Rouge do not make the top 100 list for Black women either. In fact, Bloomberg City Lab data shows Black women are living below the median in both cities.

Three of Ohio’s major cities with large Black populations, including, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus are all places where Black women are living below the median.

Bloomberg City Data reveals that the Ohio cities are the worst for economic outcomes, with a few other Midwestern cities.

The only exception where Black women are doing well is in Columbus, where the overall health outcomes ranks above average.