Texas is among the worst states for women financially relative to men

Texas regularly ends up near the bottom when it comes to studies ranking states by gender equality. Now, a new analysis suggests the state has a long way to go before its women close the pay gap and break through glass ceilings.

That new study by Forbes Advisor ranked Texas as the third-worst state for women financially relative to men.

To determine the rankings, researchers analyzed data on metrics including median income, percent of six-figure earners and unemployment rates for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their verdict wasn’t rosy for Texas women.

Among the findings:

• Texas women’s median earnings only account for 75% of men’s, giving the state the nation’s 13th-largest wage gap.
• Texas has the 10th-largest percentage point difference between the percentage of women and men who earn six figures. Only 13.19% of women working full time make more than that amount, compared to nearly a quarter of men.
• The Lone State State has fewer women-owned businesses (21.48%) than those owned by men (59.81%). That’s the 30th-largest percentage point difference in business ownership.

“Even though Texas is considered a business-friendly state, women tend to have a harder time accessing loans and other forms of financing to keep their businesses afloat,” the study reports, citing data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

It’s also worth noting that calling a state “business-friendly” usually signifies that it takes a hands-off approach to regulating workplaces. Experts have long cited the importance of workplace regulations in helping women climb the ladder to success, yet Texas lawmakers continue to pass laws aimed at scaling back worker protections.

What’s more, the state’s Republican leadership actively works to block new federal workplace protections. For example, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently won a court battle to stop a landmark piece of federal legislation offering additional workplace protections for pregnant people.

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This article appears in Mar 6-19, 2024.