Are South Dakota, Minnesota, or Iowa 'Best' or 'Worst' for Women?

What does it take for one place to be better than another for a particular group of people? Kind of a loaded question, right?

Well, in this case, the particular group being considered is women.

Wallet Hub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia "across 25 different indicators of living standards for women", in order to determine which states offered better opportunities than others for women, specifically.

Is South Dakota a Good State for Women?

Those 25 indicators were grouped under two main categories A) Women's Economic & Social Well-Being and B) Women's Healthcare & Safety.

Among those 25 index items were things like:

Percentage of women-owned businesses
The unemployment rate for women
Percentage of women living in poverty
High school graduation rates for women
The percentage of women who voted in the Presidential election
Friendliness toward working moms
Affordability of doctor's office visits
Women's preventative health care
Rates of crime against women

and more.

South Dakota did better in the economic category (14th) than the women's healthcare & safety category (41st). But overall came in at an average of 24th place.

Our neighbors in Minnesota came in number 1 in the economic category and 13th in the healthcare category. Overall, Minnesota was a stellar 4th!

And what about Iowa women, how are they doing? In the healthcare category 20th, but in the economic area - 7th, with an overall score of 13th place.

To see the complete study, just go to Wallet Hub.