The 10 Worst Cities For Women In Louisiana For 2026

As we move into 2026, the landscape for women in Louisiana continues to evolve, yet challenges persist. From gender discrimination to wage disparities, women often face obstacles that their male counterparts do not. Understanding the best and worst cities for women is crucial in navigating these challenges.

After analyzing the worst states for women, we conducted a detailed examination of the cities in Louisiana to determine where women fare the worst.

The findings reveal significant variances based on location.

Continue reading to discover the cities ranked as the worst for women in Louisiana and the methodology behind our analysis.

The 10 Worst Cities To Be A Woman In Louisiana

These are the ten cities in Louisiana where women face the greatest obstacles. Read on to find out why these cities rank poorly for women or skip to the end for a look at the best cities for women in Louisiana.

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

Each city was evaluated based on four key categories:

Percentage of Women in Management (Lower percentages indicate worse conditions)
Percentage of Women Living in Poverty (Higher percentages indicate worse conditions)
Women’s Earnings Relative to Men’s Earnings (Lower ratios indicate worse conditions)
Percentage of Uninsured Women (Lower percentages indicate worse conditions)

To analyze the income gap between women and men in each city, we referenced the Census’ American Community Survey. This method involved dividing the median male income by the median female income to ascertain how much women earn per male dollar.

For poverty rates, we utilized ACS data, focusing specifically on women living without relatives to provide a clearer picture of women’s financial challenges. This approach tends to yield higher poverty rates as it excludes married women and reflects the experiences of younger, often less financially stable individuals.

We assessed the percentage of women in management roles through ACS data to evaluate women’s representation in leadership. This statistic reflects not just personal achievements but also the advancement opportunities available to women.

Finally, we consulted ACS data for the percentages of uninsured women in each city.

Our analysis focused on cities in Louisiana with populations exceeding 5,000.

1. Rayne

Rayne, LA

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Litherlan | CC BY-SA 3.0

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.55
Women in Management: 27.5%
Women in Poverty: 34.8%
Women Uninsured: 11.9%

Rayne ranks as the most challenging city for women in Louisiana. The data reflects low scores across multiple categories, indicating that women here face a high likelihood of poverty and lack of health insurance.

2. Bridge

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.56
Women in Management: 36.1%
Women in Poverty: 32.7%
Women Uninsured: 14.6%

Bridge is the second most challenging city for women, with high poverty rates and concerning employment statistics.

3. Morgan City

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.35
Women in Management: 12.9%
Women in Poverty: 20.8%
Women Uninsured: 12.8%

In Morgan City, only a small percentage of women hold management positions, and many live in poverty, highlighting the ongoing challenges they face.

4. Galliano

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.29
Women in Management: 16.9%
Women in Poverty: 19.8%
Women Uninsured: 12.3%

Galliano ranks fourth as a challenging city for women, with a significant percentage lacking health insurance and living in poverty.

5. Raceland

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.53
Women in Management: 30.5%
Women in Poverty: 20.3%
Women Uninsured: 15.1%

Raceland is fifth on the list, offering slightly better opportunities than the previous cities, but still presenting significant challenges for women.

6. Bayou Blue

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.40
Women in Management: 32.6%
Women in Poverty: 19.4%
Women Uninsured: 13.0%

Bayou Blue ranks sixth, with a considerable percentage of women living in poverty.

7. Crowley

Crowley, LA

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Litherlan | CC BY-SA 3.0

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.63
Women in Management: 32.5%
Women in Poverty: 48.0%
Women Uninsured: 10.3%

Crowley presents a challenging environment for women, with high poverty rates and disparities in earnings.

8. Abbeville

Abbeville, LA

Source: Wikipedia User Paul (talk) | CC BY 3.0

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.57
Women in Management: 36.8%
Women in Poverty: 33.7%
Women Uninsured: 10.4%

Abbeville does not offer favorable conditions for women, with a high percentage living in poverty and earning significantly less than men.

9. Donaldsonville

Donaldsonville, LA

Source: Wikipedia User Mtortorich at E | CC BY 3.0

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.56
Women in Management: 41.3%
Women in Poverty: 40.3%
Women Uninsured: 10.7%

In Donaldsonville, women face significant challenges, including a substantial percentage living in poverty and being uninsured.

10. New Iberia

New Iberia, LA

Public domain

Earnings for Women Compared to Men: $0.64
Women in Management: 25.8%
Women in Poverty: 27.4%
Women Uninsured: 11.1%

New Iberia ranks tenth, offering slightly better conditions than the previous cities, yet challenges persist, with a notable percentage of women living in poverty.

Summary On Worst Cities to Be A Woman In Louisiana

These cities reflect where women in Louisiana encounter the most significant struggles. Despite ongoing efforts to improve conditions for women, these cities present some of the toughest environments.

While few cities in this analysis show women earning as much or more than men, the disparities between the highest and lowest-ranked cities are significant.

Ultimately, while Rayne may not represent the experiences of all women, it exemplifies the unique challenges faced by women in certain areas of Louisiana.

Explore the detailed list below to see where your city stands.

Detailed List Of The Worst Cities For Women In Louisiana

Rank	Place	Pay Gap
1	Rayne	$0.55
2	Bridge	$0.56
3	Morgan City	$0.35
4	Galliano	$0.29
5	Raceland	$0.53
6	Bayou Blue	$0.40
7	Crowley	$0.63
8	Abbeville	$0.57
9	Donaldsonville	$0.56
10	New Iberia	$0.64
11	Bogalusa	$0.69
12	Gardere	$0.68
13	West Monroe	$0.68
14	Hammond	$0.78
15	Scott	$0.49
16	Cut Off	$0.56
17	Monroe	$0.68
18	Gray	$0.48
19	St. Rose	$0.65
20	Breaux Bridge	$0.52
21	Leesville	$0.67
22	Eunice	$0.73
23	Lafayette	$0.63
24	Moss Bluff	$0.56
25	Tallulah	$0.77
26	Larose	$0.38
27	Kenner	$0.65
28	Schriever	$0.59
29	Opelousas	$0.65
30	Franklin	$0.60
31	Terrytown	$0.81
32	Ville Platte	$0.60
33	Lake Charles	$0.62
34	Natchitoches	$0.82
35	Waggaman	$0.66
36	Houma	$0.67
37	Walker	$0.56
38	Carencro	$0.62
39	Pineville	$0.47
40	Sulphur	$0.45
41	Jennings	$0.67
42	Deridder	$0.68
43	Lacombe	$0.86
44	Baton Rouge	$0.71
45	Marrero	$0.71
46	Belle Chasse	$0.57
47	Village St. George	$0.54
48	Mandeville	$0.66
49	Oak Hills Place	$0.45
50	Gonzales	$0.56
51	Luling	$0.56
52	Slidell	$0.68
53	Bastrop	$0.91
54	Denham Springs	$0.63
55	Thibodaux	$0.65
56	Meraux	$0.60
57	Ponchatoula	$0.61
58	Red Chute	$0.40
59	Eden Isle	$0.60
60	Estelle	$0.68
61	Jeanerette	$0.82
62	Metairie	$0.73
63	Shreveport	$0.74
64	Ruston	$0.86
65	St. Martinville	$0.84
66	Destrehan	$0.59
67	Zachary	$0.64
68	Patterson	$0.48
69	Westwego	$0.70
70	Laplace	$0.70
71	Plaquemine	$0.58
72	New Orleans	$0.78
73	Bossier City	$0.73
74	Port Allen	$0.72
75	Chalmette	$0.73
76	Alexandria	$0.88
77	Covington	$0.77
78	Broussard	$0.65
79	Bayou Cane	$0.59
80	Chackbay	$0.66
81	Shenandoah	$0.59
82	Harvey	$0.68
83	Woodmere	$0.90
84	Timberlane	$0.66
85	Reserve	$0.78
86	Gretna	$0.75
87	Baker	$0.71
88	Youngsville	$0.65
89	Merrydale	$0.80
90	Inniswold	$0.64
91	Harahan	$0.64
92	Minden	$0.79
93	Elmwood	$0.82
94	Central	$0.63
95	Prairieville	$0.61
96	Oakdale	$1.11
97	Jefferson	$0.73
98	Violet	$0.76
99	River Ridge	$0.73
100	Old Jefferson	$0.80

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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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