Another year, same ranking: Utah still last for women’s equality

For the 12th consecutive year, Utah has been ranked as the worst state in the nation for women’s equality. Each August, WalletHub releases its “Best & Worst States for Women’s Equality” report, and every year I’m asked whether Utah’s last‑place ranking is a surprise. It isn’t. At the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP), we have tracked these metrics for more than a decade, and in 2021 we published an extensive analysis explaining why Utah ranks last and what can be done to change it.

WalletHub’s 2026 analysis again highlights how uneven women’s equality remains across the country. Hawaii, Maryland, Alaska, Maine, and Vermont lead the nation with strong performance across workplace, education, health, and political empowerment metrics. These states have significantly narrowed gaps in pay, leadership representation, unemployment, educational attainment, and political participation. Their scores — ranging from 69 to nearly 78 out of 100 — demonstrate what is possible when states prioritize gender equity across multiple systems. At the other end of the spectrum, Utah once again ranks 50th, with a total score of just 32.18. We fall far behind states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Idaho. The contrast between the top and bottom states underscores the urgency of addressing structural barriers that continue to limit women’s opportunities and outcomes.

WalletHub’s index draws on national datasets like the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so the numbers typically lag by a year or two. Even so, the pattern is unmistakable. Utah’s scores have fluctuated over the past five years, but the state has remained firmly in last place. And while WalletHub’s metrics do not capture every dimension of women’s experiences, they align closely with the extensive research conducted by UWLP and our partners.

WalletHub groups its findings into three main categories — workplace environment, education and health, and political empowerment — using 17 weighted indicators. With a total of 100 possible points, Utah has consistently remained at the bottom: 29.85 points in 2021, 31.22 in 2022, 19.43 in 2023, 23.04 in 2024, 29.93 in 2025, and now 32.18 in 2026. The gap between Utah and the next lowest state has varied over time: 7.52 points behind Idaho in 2021; 12.77 behind Georgia in 2022; 22.11 behind Texas in 2023; 16.71 behind Texas in 2024; 11.96 behind Texas in 2025; and now 8.76 behind Texas in 2026. Even with slight improvements, Utah remains significantly behind.

I was able to get more in-depth data from WalletHub than was published in their recent report. Let me share what I found.

Workplace Environment

Utah currently ranks 47th in the “Workplace Environment” category (we were 50th in both 2024 and 2025), which is worth 40 of the 100 points. Below are the rankings (1 = best, 50 = worst):

1. Income Disparity: 2024=50, 2025=49, 2026=50
2. Higher-Income Disparity: 2024=50, 2025=50, 2026=50
3. Disparity in Share of Executive Positions: 2024=48, 2025=47, 2026=48
4. Disparity in Share of Minimum-Wage Workers: 2024=1, 2025=1, 2026=1
5. Unemployment-Rate Disparity: 2024=43, 2025=49; 2026=1
6. Entrepreneurship-Rate Disparity: 2024=34, 2025=41; 2026=42
7. Disparity in Average Number of Work Hours: 2024=50, 2025=50; 2026=50
8. Job Security Disparity: 2024=50, 2025=1; 2026=1
9. Economic Security Disparity: 2024=3, 2025=3; 2026=3
10. Disparity in Poverty Rate: 2024=5, 2025=3; 2026=4

The most concerning areas include income disparity (gender pay gap), higher‑income disparity, and executive position disparity. Our rankings also drop when other states make progress.

Education & Health

Utah ranks 50th in “Education & Health” (40 points), a position we have held for many years. This category includes:

1. Disparity in Advanced Educational Attainment: 2024=50, 2025=50, 2026=50
2. Disparity in Math Test Scores: 2024=50, 2025=33, 2026=33
3. Disparity in Doctor-Visit Affordability: 2024=37, 2025=41, 2026=39

Although I’m concerned about all of these, I hope the progress seen in math test score disparity is not just a temporary blip. Even so, girls remain significantly lower than boys on math scores compared to other states.

Political Empowerment

Utah now ranks 29th in “Political Empowerment” (20 points), reflecting some recent improvements. We were 41st in 2024 and 28th in 2025:

1. Disparity in Share of Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate: 2024=22, 2025=22, 2026=23
2. Disparity in Share of Lawmakers in U.S. House of Representatives: 2024=23, 2025=23, and 2026=23
3. Disparity in Share of Lawmakers in State Legislature: 2024=39, 2025=32, 2026=30
4. Disparity in Share of State-Elected Executives: 2024=38, 2025=15, 2026=16

Research continues to show that women in political office are more likely to advocate for public policies around education, health, poverty, and family issues. Things change when there are more equal percentages of men and women serving in elected office at all levels.

The value of these rankings is not in the number itself, but in what they reveal about where Utah must focus its efforts. They align closely with the research UWLP and our partners have tracked for years: progress requires intentional, statewide action. The good news is that Utah has the talent, commitment, and collaborative spirit to change these numbers. When we invest in women and girls, we strengthen every part of our state. Now is the time for all Utahns to help build a future where equality is not an aspiration but a reality.