The 10 Worst Cities For Women In Alabama For 2026

As we move through 2026, the challenges faced by women in the workforce continue to evolve, but disparities in pay, representation, and access to opportunities remain a critical concern. In Alabama, the landscape reflects these ongoing struggles, highlighting the need for awareness and action.

After analyzing data on the worst states for women, we’ve narrowed down our focus to identify the cities in Alabama where women face the most obstacles in terms of management roles, income disparity, poverty rates, and healthcare access.

The findings reveal that location plays a significant role in women’s experiences in the workforce and their overall quality of life.

The 10 Worst Cities To Be A Woman In Alabama

The cities listed here represent the toughest environments for women in Alabama. Dive deeper into the factors that contribute to these rankings, or skip to the end to discover which cities are more favorable for women.

Methodology – How We Determined The Worst Cities For Women In Alabama

Each city was evaluated based on four key metrics:

Percentage Of Women In Management (Lower is worse)
Percentage Of Women In Poverty (Higher is worse)
Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings (Lower is worse)
Percentage Of Uninsured Women (Lower is worse)

To determine the income gap between women and men in each city, we sourced data from the Census’ American Community Survey. We calculated the ratio of median male income to median female income to analyze the earnings disparity.

For the poverty rate, we also relied on ACS data, focusing on women living alone without relatives, which often skews higher due to their typically lower earnings.

We assessed the percentage of women in management positions using the ACS to shed light on female representation in leadership roles, a crucial factor in career advancement.

Lastly, we obtained data on uninsured women from the ACS to evaluate healthcare access in these cities.

This analysis included only cities in Alabama with populations exceeding 5,000.

1. Pell City

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.47
Women In Management: 29.0%
Women In Poverty: 23.2%
Uninsured Women: 12.7%

Pell City ranks as the most challenging city for women in Alabama, with alarming statistics across all metrics. The high poverty rate and lack of health insurance access indicate significant struggles for women here.

2. Lanett

Lanett, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Rivers Langley; | CC BY-SA 3.0

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.66
Women In Management: 12.1%
Women In Poverty: 27.5%
Uninsured Women: 16.2%

Lanett is the second worst city for women, facing significant poverty rates and low representation in management roles.

3. Robertsdale

Robertsdale, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Soulpatroller | GFDL

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.64
Women In Management: 27.0%
Women In Poverty: 21.3%
Uninsured Women: 15.1%

Women in Robertsdale also face challenges, with a significant portion living in poverty and a low percentage in leadership positions.

4. Albertville

Albertville, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Rivers Langley; | CC BY-SA 3.0

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.74
Women In Management: 33.4%
Women In Poverty: 31.3%
Uninsured Women: 16.9%

Albertville ranks fourth, with a substantial number of women facing poverty and lacking health insurance.

5. Fort Payne

Fort Payne, AL

Source: Public domain

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.65
Women In Management: 37.4%
Women In Poverty: 25.9%
Uninsured Women: 14.3%

Fort Payne, while slightly better than the preceding cities, still presents significant barriers for women.

6. Sheffield

Sheffield, AL

Source: Wikipedia User SistahFee | CC BY-SA 3.0

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.71
Women In Management: 28.0%
Women In Poverty: 26.9%
Uninsured Women: 11.4%

Sheffield’s stats reflect ongoing struggles for women, particularly in terms of poverty and management roles.

7. Chickasaw

Chickasaw, AL

Source: Public domain

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.59
Women In Management: 64.2%
Women In Poverty: 41.3%
Uninsured Women: 12.9%

Chickasaw presents a daunting picture for women, with high poverty rates and an uneven distribution of earnings.

8. Saks

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.45
Women In Management: 44.9%
Women In Poverty: 19.8%
Uninsured Women: 12.8%

Saks also struggles with a significant pay gap and a notable poverty rate among women.

9. Atmore

Atmore, AL

Source: Public domain

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.69
Women In Management: 52.1%
Women In Poverty: 35.7%
Uninsured Women: 16.7%

In Atmore, women face a challenging economic landscape, with notable poverty and uninsured rates.

10. Daleville

Daleville, AL

Source: Wikipedia User Michael Rivera | CC BY-SA 4.0

Women’s Earnings As A Percentage Of Male Earnings: $0.54
Women In Management: 91.7%
Women In Poverty: 23.5%
Uninsured Women: 22.8%

Daleville, while showing some positive signs in management representation, still presents challenges in poverty and insurance coverage for women.

Summary On The Worst Cities to Be A Woman In Alabama

The cities listed above reflect where women in Alabama face the most significant challenges. Factors such as pay disparity, management representation, and healthcare access create a unique set of barriers. While these cities may not represent every individual woman’s experience, they highlight systemic issues that need addressing for improved outcomes.

To gain a broader perspective, explore the detailed ranking below, which further illustrates the disparities across Alabama’s cities.

Detailed List Of The Worst Cities For Women In Alabama

Rank	Place	Pay Gap
1	Pell City	$0.47
2	Lanett	$0.66
3	Robertsdale	$0.64
4	Albertville	$0.74
5	Fort Payne	$0.65
6	Sheffield	$0.71
7	Chickasaw	$0.59
8	Saks	$0.45
9	Atmore	$0.69
10	Daleville	$0.54
11	Guntersville	$0.68
12	Ozark	$0.69
13	Opp	$0.51
14	Clanton	$0.86
15	Talladega	$0.98
16	Anniston	$0.66
17	Phenix City	$0.66
18	Russellville	$0.77
19	Brook Highland	$0.60
20	Gadsden	$0.71
21	Jasper	$0.70
22	Troy	$0.86
23	Huntsville	$0.63
24	Prattville	$0.58
25	Montevallo	$0.55
26	Tarrant	$0.72
27	Attalla	$0.51
28	Auburn	$0.63
29	Tillmans Corner	$0.71
30	Northport	$0.63
31	Florence	$0.76
32	Alexander City	$0.81
33	Arab	$0.63
34	Eufaula	$0.68
35	Alabaster	$0.64
36	Athens	$0.64
37	Dothan	$0.68
38	Mobile	$0.71
39	Enterprise	$0.57
40	Gulf Shores	$0.79
41	Satsuma	$0.44
42	Rainbow City	$0.69
43	Prichard	$0.80
44	Spanish Fort	$0.64
45	Madison	$0.48
46	Orange Beach	$0.62
47	Muscle Shoals	$0.65
48	Hartselle	$0.55
49	Decatur	$0.73
50	Monroeville	$1.15
51	Mountain Brook	$0.42
52	Fairhope	$0.55
53	Birmingham	$0.82
54	Meadowbrook	$0.52
55	Selma	$0.90
56	Highland Lakes	$0.45
57	Theodore	$0.58
58	Moody	$0.61
59	Montgomery	$0.77
60	Greenville	$0.92
61	Andalusia	$0.67
62	Glencoe	$0.53
63	Foley	$0.72
64	Valley	$0.90
65	Southside	$0.50
66	Scottsboro	$0.78
67	Sylacauga	$0.73
68	Bessemer	$0.91
69	Helena	$0.63
70	Lincoln	$0.59
71	Daphne	$0.60
72	Hamilton	$0.73
73	Jacksonville	$0.92
74	Roanoke	$0.99
75	Moores Mill	$0.60
76	Vestavia Hills	$0.58
77	Bay Minette	$0.80
78	Saraland	$0.57
79	Oxford	$0.65
80	Tuscaloosa	$0.75
81	Fultondale	$0.66
82	Center Point	$0.74
83	Midfield	$0.85
84	Demopolis	$0.49
85	Calera	$0.67
86	Leeds	$0.83
87	Tuscumbia	$0.60
88	Opelika	$0.78
89	Meridianville	$0.64
90	Homewood	$0.67
91	Tuskegee	$0.80
92	Hueytown	$0.75
93	Pelham	$0.78
94	Hoover	$0.67
95	Trussville	$0.64
96	Boaz	$0.90
97	Pleasant Grove	$0.65
98	Chelsea	$0.55
99	Cullman	$0.84
100	Clay	$0.70

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Author

Kathy Morris

Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.

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