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A Wallet Full of Women?


 

Ah, Wallet Hub. What would we do without you?

These are the best and worst cities for women in US, study finds, Ashleigh Jackson and Wil Day, WREG.com

Finding the perfect city to call home can be challenging, especially for women looking for a safe place to flourish. A new analysis from WalletHub determined which metro areas in the United States are best for women to thrive and maximize their potential.

Guess who came in at Number One? Columbia, Maryland. (As an aside, I am beginning to think that there is an employee at HHC whose sole job is submitting Columbia for WalletHub awards.) If you are wondering what makes a city “the best for women”, well, so am I. 

From the article:

The personal finance website compared 182 cities, including 150 of the nation’s most populous, and scored them based on factors that could shape a woman’s quality of life. Experts weighed metrics like job security, poverty, social well-being, safety, suicide rates and healthcare access when ranking each city.

You can view the entire report here. 

But seriously folks, what do you think are the things that would make a community the best for women? 

Of course the most likely reply would be that “it has pockets.” Do cul de sacs count?

WalletHub is all about analyzing things that can be counted, sorted, and compared. So naturally that’s how they’re looking at “what’s best for women.” What about you? What are the things - - possibly intangible - - that make or break a community when it comes to women? 

Some things that come to mind:

  • Safe to walk as a woman alone
  • Comfortable and acceptable to dine as a woman alone
  • Ample opportunities to make a contribution and serve in leadership roles in the community 
  • Good coffee shops
  • Multiple places to get well-made, comfortable shoes
  • Employment opportunities that value work/life balance
  • High-quality, affordable childcare
Do you think Columbia has earned its place as the best for women? If not, why not? What are some factors, either serious or downright silly, that you think would make a place appealing to women?





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