The gender wage gap is a historic obstacle for women in the U.S. workforce. While income inequality is worse in some places than others, the average American woman can expect to earn less than her male counterpart, no matter what industry she chooses to pursue or how hard she works. However, MoneyGeek found that where a woman decides to live can have a positive impact on her earning potential.
Using data from the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and analyzing wage data for men and women working full-time, MoneyGeek determined the states with the largest and smallest gender wage gaps. We found that, on average, women made $11,180 less than men in 2021. Our analysis also examined the connection between a state’s wage gap and its partisan lean and the states where women’s wages have increased the most from 2020 to 2021. Let’s look at the facts.