The Institute for Women’s Policy Research latest report--The Best and Worst State Economies for Women--ranks and grades all 50 states and the District of Columbia on indicators of women’s economic progress. They looked at the percent of women with health insurance, the percent of women with a four year college degree or more, the percent of businesses that are women-owned, and the percent of women living above poverty. Political participation, employment and earnings, economic autonomy, reproductive rights, and health and well-being were also factors in the determination of ranking.

Unless you live in North Dakota, is clear from the data that women need to be recruited to enter politics to create women-friendly policies.

1 North Dakota 1.76
2 South Dakota 1.70
3 Minnesota 1.36
4 Vermont 1.32
5 Montana 1.27
6 Nebraska 1.17
7 Iowa 1.02
8 Wyoming 0.72
9 Washington 0.69
10 New Hampshire 0.68
11 Utah 0.61
12 Wisconsin 0.61
13 Oregon 0.57
14 Maine 0.54
15 Kansas 0.40
16 Colorado 0.38
17 Idaho 0.22
18 Connecticut 0.19
19 Massachusetts 0.15
20 Missouri 0.06
21 Arizona 0.02
22 Michigan 0.00
23 Delaware -0.04
24 Indiana -0.09
25 Rhode Island -0.12
26 Oklahoma -0.14
27 DC -0.19
28 Ohio -0.19
29 Pennsylvania -0.19
30 California -0.21
31 Illinois -0.23
32 Maryland -0.26
33 Virginia -0.29
34 New Mexico -0.34
35 New York -0.43
36 New Jersey -0.45
37 Arkansas -0.50
38 Florida -0.50
39 Texas -0.54
40 Kentucky -0.78
41 North Carolina -0.80
42 West Virginia -0.84
43 South Carolina -0.88
44 Tennessee -0.97
45 Louisiana -0.98
46 Alabama -1.09
47 Georgia -1.12
48 Mississippi -1.15
49 Nevada -1.39
50 Alaska --
51 Hawaii --