best states for women

Report claims Texas ranks among worst states for women in 2026

Person holding a sign at a protest that states, "Never underestimate the power of women!"

Texas has the highest rate of uninsured women in the nation, WalletHub found.

The Lone Star State has a lot of work to do to improve its livability for women after being dubbed the fourth worst state for women in 2026.

The ranking comes from WalletHub's annual study that compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on women's economic opportunities, social well-being, health care factors, and overall safety.

The five best states for women this year are Massachusetts (No. 1), District of Columbia (No. 2), Maine (No. 3), Minnesota (No. 4), and Maryland (No. 5).

Texas, on the other hand, ranked No. 48 in 2026, a one-spot drop from 2025's ranking. The three states that performed worse than Texas are Arkansas (No. 49), Oklahoma (No. 50), and Louisiana (No. 51).

Texas came in nearly dead last – 50th – in the report's "economic and social well-being" rank, which analyzed factors such as women's job security, the median earnings for female workers, the share of women living in poverty, high school graduation rates, a "friendliness toward working moms" score, and more.

The state also ranked 44th in the "women's health care and safety" ranking, which assessed the quality of women's hospitals, abortion policies and access, the female uninsured rate, the share of women who were up-to-date on cervical and breast-cancer screenings, suicide rates, the prevalence of rape victimization, the number of women murdered by men, and others.

Additional research from the study revealed Texas has the highest rate of uninsured women in the country, and the fourth-lowest percentage of women who voted in the 2024 presidential election.

On a national level, women make up more than half (51 percent) of the country's total population, but women disproportionally account for more than two-thirds of all minimum-wage workers nationwide, WalletHub says. They are also severely underrepresented in Congress; only 26 percent of U.S. Senate seats are held by women, and 29.4 percent in the House of Representatives.

Furthermore, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics found 91 percent of rape victims are women and 9 percent are men.

"Despite improvements the U.S. has made over the years, women still lag behind men when it comes to economic prospects, executive positions, and political representation," said WalletHub analyst Milvionne Chery Copeland. "On top of tackling these important issues, the best states for women also ensure that they have access to high-quality health care, receive the same educational opportunities as men, and live in safe communities."

The 10 best states for women in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Massachusetts
No. 2 – District of Columbia
No. 3 – Maine
No. 4 – Minnesota
No. 5 – Maryland
No. 6 – Vermont
No. 7 – Connecticut
No. 8 – Hawaii
No. 9 – New York
No. 10 – Oregon

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strike up the band

Historic Houston park raises the curtain on new stage at Juneteenth festival

Photo by Darryl Howard

The new stage also includes store and a green room.

Houston’s historic Emancipation Park will celebrate Juneteenth in style. As part of the parks annual festival to mark the holiday, the Third Ward park will dedicate its new performance stage.

Funded by the Kinder Foundation, the 5,000-square-foot stage includes an outdoor performance stage, green room, climate-controlled storage, and a tech room for controlling lights and sound. It’s phase one of an $18.5 million renovation project that will also include upgrades to the park’s cultural center that are expected to be completed later this summer.

“The completion of this new stage marks an important milestone for Emancipation Park and the community we serve,” said Corey Wilson, president and CEO of the Emancipation Park Conservancy (EPC). “Emancipation Park is rooted in culture and community, and our responsibility as stewards is to honor that legacy while ensuring the park continues to thrive for generations to come. This new stage creates a permanent space for cultural expression and community celebration — and there is no better time to open it than during our annual Juneteenth celebration.”

Of course, the park’s Juneteenth: The Reunion celebration will take place this Friday, June 19. The stage will be dedicated at 4:30 pm in a ceremony with attended by EPC board members and local officials. The annual concert will follow. Performers include Robert Glasper, Scarface, Brian Courtney Wilson, King George, 803Fresh, and the Juneteenth Choir.

The event, which will take place from 4-10 pm, will also include a domino tournament, a kids zone with family-friendly activities, food vendors, and themed merchandise. Attendees are encouraged to wear all-white attire.

Famously founded in 1872 by a group of Black community leaders on a 10-acre plot of land they purchased for $800, Emancipation Park has served as the center of Houston’s Juneteenth celebrations ever since. The new upgrades build on the success of a $34 million renovation project that transformed the park when it was completed in 2017.

“Emancipation Park is one of Houston’s most significant parks, and Kinder Foundation is proud to continue investing in its future,” said Nancy Kinder, president and CEO, Kinder Foundation. “This new stage honors the park’s powerful legacy while creating new opportunities for arts, culture and community gatherings.”

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