The 10 Worst Cities For Women In Indiana For 2026

As we step into 2026, the landscape for women in the United States continues to evolve, yet challenges remain. Issues such as gender discrimination, wage disparity, and an unequal burden of household responsibilities persist. Understanding the best and worst cities for women can provide insight into opportunities and obstacles they face.

In our latest analysis, we focused on Indiana, examining which cities present the most significant challenges for women. The data reveals that geographic location plays a crucial role in women’s experiences and opportunities.

Continue reading to discover the cities that rank as the least favorable for women in Indiana and learn about our methodology for determining these rankings.

The 10 Worst Cities To Be A Woman In Indiana

These are the ten cities in Indiana where women face the most significant challenges. Read on to understand the factors contributing to these rankings or skip ahead to discover the best cities for women in Indiana.

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

Each city was assessed based on four key criteria:

Percentage of Women in Management (Lower percentage is worse)
Percentage of Women in Poverty (Higher percentage is worse)
Women’s Earnings as a Percentage of Male Earnings (Lower percentage is worse)
Percentage of Uninsured Women (Lower percentage is worse)

To gauge the income disparity between women and men in each city, we referenced the American Community Survey (ACS). We calculated the ratio of median male income to median female income to determine women’s earnings compared to men.

For the poverty rates of women, we again utilized ACS data, focusing on women living independently to provide a more accurate representation of their socioeconomic status.

The percentage of women in management roles was also derived from ACS data, highlighting women’s representation in leadership positions and potential career advancement opportunities.

Lastly, the ACS provided insight into the percentage of uninsured women in each city, further illustrating the challenges they face.

Our analysis included only cities in Indiana with populations exceeding 5,000.

1. Plymouth

Plymouth, IN

Source: Public domain

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.53
Women In Management: 37.6%
Women In Poverty: 26.6%
Women Uninsured: 11.9%

Plymouth is ranked as the worst city for women in Indiana. The statistics reveal a concerning trend: women face a high risk of poverty and lack of health insurance, compounded by other unfavorable metrics.

2. Marion

Marion, IN

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Light at | CC BY-SA 3.0

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.56
Women In Management: 31.4%
Women In Poverty: 28.7%
Women Uninsured: 8.8%

Marion ranks as the second worst city for women, with high poverty rates and overall concerning statistics.

3. North Vernon

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.62
Women In Management: 36.1%
Women In Poverty: 22.8%
Women Uninsured: 12.4%

Women in North Vernon face significant challenges, including a low percentage of women in management positions and a notable poverty rate.

4. Madison

Madison, IN

Source: Public domain

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.56
Women In Management: 30.2%
Women In Poverty: 26.2%
Women Uninsured: 7.3%

Madison ranks fourth and reflects concerning statistics, with a significant percentage of women living in poverty and lacking health insurance.

5. Wabash

Wabash, IN

Source: Public domain

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.57
Women In Management: 27.3%
Women In Poverty: 20.0%
Women Uninsured: 8.5%

Wabash ranks fifth for women facing challenges, although they experience slightly better conditions than the previous four cities.

6. Warsaw

Warsaw, IN

Source: Public domain

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.59
Women In Management: 25.6%
Women In Poverty: 14.3%
Women Uninsured: 11.8%

Warsaw holds the sixth position, with a concerning percentage of women living in poverty and a low representation in management roles.

7. Seymour

Seymour, IN

Source: Public domain

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.68
Women In Management: 30.1%
Women In Poverty: $22.6%
Women Uninsured: 10.4%

Women in Seymour deal with high poverty rates and a challenging earning landscape, making progress difficult.

8. Nappanee

Nappanee, IN

Source: Wikipedia User | CC BY 2.0

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.62
Women In Management: 24.2%
Women In Poverty: 7.6%
Women Uninsured: 17.3%

Nappanee presents considerable challenges for women, with a notable uninsured rate and lower earnings compared to men.

9. Connersville

Connersville, IN

Source: Public domain

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.63
Women In Management: 45.5%
Women In Poverty: 28.5%
Women Uninsured: 12.2%

In Connersville, women face significant barriers, earning only $0.63 for every dollar a man makes, coupled with a high poverty rate.

10. La Porte

La Porte, IN

Source: Wikipedia User MrHarman | GFDL

How Much Women Make For Male Dollars Earned: $0.71
Women In Management: 34.2%
Women In Poverty: 23.3%
Women Uninsured: 13.1%

La Porte ranks tenth, and while conditions are slightly better than the previous nine cities, women still face significant challenges, with over a fifth living in poverty.

Summary On The Worst Cities to Be A Woman In Indiana

The cities highlighted here represent the areas in Indiana where women encounter the most significant difficulties. Despite ongoing efforts to improve conditions, these cities still present substantial obstacles.

While there is a broad disparity in women’s earnings across these cities, the gap between the best and worst performers is stark. Although Plymouth holds the title of the worst city for women, individual experiences will vary, and challenges may differ from person to person.

Explore the detailed list below to see how your city compares.

Detailed List Of The Worst Cities For Women In Indiana

Rank	Place	Pay Gap
1	Plymouth	$0.53
2	Marion	$0.56
3	North Vernon	$0.62
4	Madison	$0.56
5	Wabash	$0.57
6	Warsaw	$0.59
7	Seymour	$0.68
8	Nappanee	$0.62
9	Connersville	$0.63
10	La Porte	$0.71
11	Portland	$0.70
12	Logansport	$0.70
13	Goshen	$0.66
14	Tell	$0.50
15	Huntington	$0.52
16	Martinsville	$0.74
17	Rushville	$0.71
18	Garrett	$0.49
19	Rochester	$0.69
20	Portage	$0.53
21	Elkhart	$0.70
22	Bloomington	$0.66
23	Lake Station	$0.66
24	Columbus	$0.53
25	Valparaiso	$0.50
26	Simonton Lake	$0.65
27	Rensselaer	$0.48
28	South Haven	$0.58
29	Westfield	$0.46
30	Hammond	$0.65
31	East Chicago	$0.78
32	Michigan City	$0.64
33	Speedway	$0.70
34	Mount Vernon	$0.52
35	Huntingburg	$0.73
36	Washington	$0.65
37	Cedar Lake	$0.52
38	Elwood	$0.64
39	Boonville	$0.60
40	Anderson	$0.67
41	West Lafayette	$0.67
42	Greensburg	$0.63
43	Peru	$0.64
44	Evansville	$0.72
45	Ellettsville	$0.53
46	South Bend	$0.75
47	Mishawaka	$0.73
48	Bluffton	$0.67
49	Lowell	$0.46
50	Linton	$0.53
51	Crawfordsville	$0.81
52	Huntertown	$0.59
53	Lafayette	$0.75
54	Richmond	$0.79
55	Muncie	$0.68
56	Dunlap	$0.65
57	Fort Wayne	$0.72
58	Lawrence	$0.83
59	Jasper	$0.60
60	Columbia City	$0.63
61	Terre Haute	$0.73
62	Noblesville	$0.60
63	Franklin	$0.66
64	Winfield	$0.51
65	Lakes Of	$0.49
66	St. John	$0.59
67	Granger	$0.56
68	Shelbyville	$0.67
69	Chesterton	$0.46
70	Charlestown	$0.76
71	Greenwood	$0.69
72	Carmel	$0.51
73	New Castle	$0.70
74	Gary	$0.78
75	Kendallville	$0.65
76	Indianapolis	$0.83
77	Brownsburg	$0.69
78	Dyer	$0.55
79	Lebanon	$0.70
80	New Albany	$0.76
81	Monticello	$0.70
82	Frankfort	$0.74
83	Bedford	$0.65
84	Vincennes	$0.75
85	Princeton	$0.62
86	Bright	$0.58
87	Brazil	$0.65
88	Danville	$0.60
89	Zionsville	$0.52
90	Greenfield	$0.70
91	Sellersburg	$0.75
92	Hobart	$0.68
93	Mccordsville	$0.69
94	Crown Point	$0.63
95	Kokomo	$0.73
96	Batesville	$0.63
97	Highland	$0.63
98	Whitestown	$0.56
99	Clarksville	$0.69
100	Angola	$0.83

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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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