COLUMBIA, MD — A new report has ranked Columbia first in the nation for best cities for women in 2026.
With an overall score of 78.20, the report released by personal finance company WalletHub - Best and Worst Cities for Women in 2026 - identified Columbia as offering the best conditions for women's economic status, health and safety.
In addition to ranking first overall, Columbia also ranked second in the nation for women's economic and social well-being, and third in the nation for women's healthcare and safety.
WalletHub compared 182 cities in the U.S. across 15 key metrics. The data set ranges from the median earnings and unemployment rate for women to the quality of women's hospitals and access to preventative healthcare.
According to the report, Columbia was ranked the best city for women in 2026 in part because it has the highest median annual wages for women after adjusting for the cost of living at $63,920. In addition, the poverty rate for women is only 8.2%, the eighth lowest in the country.
The job market also is good for women in Columbia. The unemployment rate for women is just over 3%, the 17thlowest in the country. For comparison, the unemployment rate for women is as high as 13% in other cities. In addition, around 23% of businesses in Columbia are owned by women, the 31st-highest percentage, the report stated.
Columbia also has the 10th best life expectancy for women at birth. It also has the 12th highest share of women over age 21 who have received a cervical cancer screening within the recommended time frame and the 3rd highest share who have received a mammogram in the past two years. On top of that, nearly 86% of women are physically active, the ninth highest percentage in the country, WalletHub's report said.
Woman-Friendliness of Columbia (1=Best, 91=Avg.):
For the full report, click here.
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