40 Cities Where Women Earn More Money Than Men

Though there has been tremendous progress in granting equality to women in many ways, we still fall short when it comes to salary and employment.

Women may hold jobs at every level of industry, but there is still a significant pay gap that women can’t quite seem to overcome, no matter how hard they work. Even in 2023, women still earned almost 22% less than men earned, according to the Economic Policy Institute; and the COVID-19 pandemic hit women’s careers harder than men’s, as millions of women had to prioritize child care and helping their children home school over their jobs.

Furthermore, the majority of the workforce is still male, even though women are now more likely to pursue college degrees.

There are some cities, however, where women are out-earning men. GOBankingRates analyzed cities across the U.S. where the population was at least 20,000 people and compiled a list of cities where women earn more than men. The ranking is based on female median earnings as a percentage of male median earnings, as sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey.

Here are the cities where women earn more money than men.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 100.14%

Women in Newark make up a tad bit more than 52% of the population and take home a salary of around $58,769, to men’s $58,684.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 100.18%

Oakland has the biggest population on this list at nearly 360,000, and women comprise almost 52% of that, around 187,000 residents. Here, women earn $68,260 to men’s $68,137.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 100.20%

Women in Bowie make up a tad bit more than 54% of the population, and they take home the best salary on this list, around $81,011, to men’s $80,852.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 100.25%

In State College, around 46% of the population, age 16 and up, are female. Women earn not quite $150 more than men on average: Women make $51,421 to men’s $51,292.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 100.34%

Women in Fort Washington make up a tad bit more than 50% of the population and take home barely $200 more than men. Women make $69,983 to men’s $69,743.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 100.48%

In Everett, around 50% of the 38,497 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women earn not quite $250 more than men on average, at $51,869 to men’s $51,619.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 100.61%

Women in Clinton make up around 51% of the population and take home one of the better salaries on this list, around  $71,123 to men’s $70,694.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 100.90%

In Rock Ledge, around 52% of the 22,961 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women earn not quite $400 more than men on average — $50,390 to men’s $49,941.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 101.50%

Women in Montclair make up around 53% of the population and take home $43,882 to men’s $43,235.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 101.65%

In Holyoke, almost 53% of the 30,460 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women earn not quite $1,000 more than men on average: Women earn $49,629 to men’s $48,825.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 101.96%

Women in Freeport comprise around 53% of the population and take home $57,227 to men’s $56,126.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 102.16%

North Chicago has the lowest percentage of women in the population on this list, with only 38%. Here, women are making not quite $1,000 more than men. Women earn $27,333 to men’s $26,755.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 102.18%

Women in Manchester comprise around 51% of the population and take home $54,552 to men’s $53,388.

Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 102.30%

In Oxford, 52% of the 21,230 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women earn not quite $1,200 more than men on average — $51,522 to men’s $50,365.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 102.31%

Women in College Park comprise around 49% of the population and take home $56,074 to men’s $54,807.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 102.66%

Compton is one of the bigger cities on this list, with 72,098 residents, and over 52% of those are women. Women earn a bit above $1,000 more than men on average, around $39,003 to men’s $37,993.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 102.93%

Women in Citrus Park comprise around 55% of the population and take home $53,889 to men’s $52,354.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 103.30%

In Hackensack, 53% of the 38,861 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women earn not quite $2,000 more than men on average, or around $60,237 to men’s $58,314.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 103.52%

In Rosemead, 50% of the 43,035 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women earn not quite $1,500 more than men on average, or $42,707 to men’s $41,254.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 103.68%

Women in Monrovia make up more than 51% of the population and take home $62,016 to men’s $59,815.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 103.69%

In Statesboro, women are taking home about $1,200 more than men, with women seeing around $34,015 to men’s $32,803.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 103.86%

In Inglewood, over 51% of the 86,384 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women earn not quite $2,000 more than men on average. Women here take home around $45,175 and men around $43,497.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 103.96%

In Montgomery Village, about 50% of the more than 27,283 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women working full-time earn $57,167 versus men, who earn $54,988. 

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 104.27%

In Desert Hot Springs, while women are earning around 104% of male median earnings, that gap only translates to nearly $1,400 more. Women see around $34,148, while men only $32,750.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 105.12%

In Goleta, where women are earning 105% of male median earnings, that gap translates to a bit more than $3,000. Women are earning around $65,030 to men’s $61,864.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 105.47%

In the Nevada town of Pahrump, close to half the population, or around 17,743 residents, are women over the age of 16. Women’s salary is around $49,784, while men’s is around $47,201.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 106.25%

Women in Laurel, Maryland are making around $65,008 to men’s $61,186.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 107.26%

Vero Beach South boasts a population that is about 52% women over the age of 16. Women are taking home just about $3,000 more than men, or $47,106 to men’s $43,918.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 107.54%

Ives Estates boasts a population that is more than 54% women over the age of 16. Women are taking home just about $3,000 more than men — women take home around $43,668, while men take home around $40,605.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 108.42%

In Carbondale, 49% of the more than 20,000 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women working full-time earn $34,792 versus men, who earn $32,090. 

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 108.47%

The northern California town of Eureka sees women earning about $3,500 more than men, or around $45,330 to men’s $41,789.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 111.37%

In Greenacres, over 52% of the more than 34,000 residents over the age of 16 are female. Women working full-time earn $40,396 earn $58,109 versus men, who earn $36,272. 

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 112.10%

In seaside, while women are earning 112% of male median earnings, that gap translates to a bit more than $5,000, or $48,558 to men’s $43,316.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 112.47%

Coral Terrance’s total population is 21,862, and almost 49% of that are women. Women working full-time earn $43,659, while men only earn around $38,817.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 112.71%

Of Mabelton’s total population — 32,383 — almost 53% are women. Women working full-time earn a bit more than $6,000 more than men in full time jobs. Women take home $56,649 to men’s $50,262.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 113.98%

In Morgantown, women are earning around $48,861 to men’s $42,869.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 116.34%

In Lake Worth Beach, over 44% of the population, age 16 and older, are female. Women working full-time earn a bit over $5,000 more than men in full time jobs, or $38,565 to men’s $33,148.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 118.95%

In Chamblee, 48% of the more than 24,000 residents over the age 16 are female. Women working full-time earn $58,590 versus men, who earn $49,256.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 119.61%

In Sun City, where 58% of the population age 16 and over is female, women working full-time earn $58,109 versus men, who earn $48,582.

• Female median earnings as percentage of male median earnings: 120.55%

In Jacksonville, where 36% of the population age 16 and over is female, women working full-time earn a stunning 20.55% more than men — though median salaries are on the low side here. This translates to women earning around $32,768 versus men, who earn $27,181.

Jordan Rosenfeld contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities across the country to find the places where women earn the most. To qualify for this study, the population of the city had to be at least 20,000 people. First, GOBankingRates found the total population aged 16 years and over, female population aged 16 years and over, median earnings for female workers and median earnings for male workers, all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The percentage of population that is female was calculated as supplemental information; the female median earnings as a percentage of male median earnings was calculated and sorted to show the places where the median females are making more than median males. All data was collected and is up to date as of March 8, 2024.

Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only. As a result, some of the photos might not reflect the locations listed in this article.