The 10 Worst Cities For Women In Michigan For 2026

As we navigate through 2026, women in the United States continue to confront challenges that their male counterparts often do not face. Issues such as gender discrimination, wage disparities, and unequal distribution of household responsibilities persist, making it imperative to assess the environments in which women live and work.

Following a review of the overall landscape for women in different states, we focused on identifying the cities in Michigan that present the greatest challenges for women in 2026.

The findings reveal that geographic location significantly impacts women’s experiences and opportunities.

Continue reading to discover the rankings of cities and our methodology for determining the most challenging environments for women in Michigan.

The 10 Worst Cities To Be A Woman In Michigan

The following cities rank as the most challenging environments for women in Michigan. Read on to explore the factors contributing to these rankings, or skip to the end to see the best cities for women in the state.

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

We ranked each city based on four key categories:

Percentage of Women in Management (Lower is worse)
Percentage of Women in Poverty (Higher is worse)
Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned (Lower is worse)
Uninsured Women (Lower is worse)

To assess the income gap between women and men in each city, we utilized the Census American Community Survey. We calculated the earnings ratio by dividing median male income by median female income.

The poverty rate for women was also sourced from the ACS, focusing on women living independently (without relatives), which tends to yield a higher poverty rate compared to the general population.

We evaluated the representation of women in management positions using ACS data, recognizing the importance of leadership roles in advocating for women’s advancement in the workplace.

Lastly, we again referenced the ACS to assess the percentage of uninsured women in each city.

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

1. Allendale

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $0.41
Women in Management: 37.0%
Women in Poverty: 29.3%
Women Uninsured: 4.8%

Allendale ranks as the most challenging city for women in Michigan, with low scores across all categories. Women in Allendale face a high likelihood of poverty and lack of health insurance, highlighting significant struggles.

2. Hamtramck

Hamtramck, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Andrew Jameson | CC BY-SA 3.0

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $0.82
Women in Management: 36.3%
Women in Poverty: 49.8%
Women Uninsured: 11.2%

Hamtramck is the second most challenging city for women, marked by high poverty rates and overall unfavorable statistics.

3. Sturgis

Sturgis, MI

Source: Public domain

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $0.70
Women in Management: 33.9%
Women in Poverty: 29.3%
Women Uninsured: 5.9%

Sturgis faces significant challenges for women, with only 33.9% of women in management and 29.3% living in poverty.

4. Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park, MI

Source: Wikipedia User | GFDL

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $0.63
Women in Management: 42.5%
Women in Poverty: 21.8%
Women Uninsured: 7.3%

Lincoln Park ranks fourth, with 21.8% of women living in poverty and 7.3% lacking health insurance.

5. Manistee

Manistee, MI

Source: Public domain

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $0.66
Women in Management: 34.9%
Women in Poverty: 18.3%
Women Uninsured: 6.5%

Manistee ranks fifth, offering slightly better opportunities than the top four, but challenges remain.

6. Owosso

Owosso, MI

Source: Wikipedia User kennethaw88 | CC BY 4.0

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $0.65
Women in Management: 34.9%
Women in Poverty: 23.0%
Women Uninsured: 5.4%

At sixth place, Owosso grapples with a high poverty rate amongst women, further complicating their economic prospects.

7. Ypsilanti

Ypsilanti, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Jane DeDecker | CC BY 3.0

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $0.71
Women in Management: 44.5%
Women in Poverty: 33.9%
Women Uninsured: 8.1%

Ypsilanti poses significant hurdles for women, with high poverty rates and concerning health insurance coverage.

8. South Monroe

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $0.40
Women in Management: 38.2%
Women in Poverty: 19.2%
Women Uninsured: 4.0%

South Monroe is a challenging environment for women, where a substantial portion faces poverty and a significant earnings gap persists.

9. Houghton

Houghton, MI

Source: Wikipedia User Bobak Ha’Eri | CC BY 3.0

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $1.03
Women in Management: 33.8%
Women in Poverty: 32.2%
Women Uninsured: 7.9%

Despite a relatively better earning ratio, Houghton struggles with high poverty rates among women, reflecting broader economic challenges.

10. Sterling Heights

Sterling Heights, MI

Source: Wikipedia User | GFDL

Women’s Earnings per Male Dollar Earned: $0.65
Women in Management: 36.3%
Women in Poverty: 12.1%
Women Uninsured: 6.7%

Sterling Heights, while ranking tenth, still presents considerable challenges for women, with 12.1% living in poverty.

Summary On Worst Cities to Be A Woman In Michigan

The cities highlighted here represent the most challenging landscapes for women in Michigan. While statewide issues persist, these cities offer particularly daunting prospects for women.

Notably, there are few cities in this analysis where women earn equal to or more than their male counterparts, underscoring the significant disparities that exist.

While Allendale may not be the worst city for every individual woman, the unique challenges faced by women there are indicative of broader systemic issues.

Explore the comprehensive list below for a detailed view of the worst cities for women in Michigan.

Detailed List Of The Worst Cities For Women In Michigan

Rank	Place	Pay Gap
1	Allendale	$0.41
2	Hamtramck	$0.82
3	Sturgis	$0.70
4	Lincoln Park	$0.63
5	Manistee	$0.66
6	Owosso	$0.65
7	Ypsilanti	$0.71
8	South Monroe	$0.40
9	Houghton	$1.03
10	Sterling Heights	$0.65
11	Buena Vista	$0.93
12	Hazel Park	$0.70
13	Roseville	$0.64
14	Madison Heights	$0.63
15	Dearborn	$0.77
16	Ishpeming	$0.45
17	Adrian	$0.69
18	Pontiac	$0.85
19	Marysville	$0.49
20	Lapeer	$0.60
21	Belding	$0.62
22	Rockford	$0.55
23	Iron Mountain	$0.56
24	River Rouge	$0.67
25	Warren	$0.72
26	Walled Lake	$0.66
27	Inkster	$0.63
28	Okemos	$0.55
29	Jackson	$0.73
30	Monroe	$0.55
31	Howell	$0.67
32	Midland	$0.59
33	Grand Rapids	$0.80
34	Holland	$0.65
35	Muskegon Heights	$0.83
36	Battle Creek	$0.71
37	Rochester	$0.48
38	Niles	$0.74
39	Springfield	$0.65
40	Whitmore Lake	$0.51
41	Port Huron	$0.71
42	Novi	$0.54
43	Marquette	$0.87
44	Coldwater	$0.94
45	Sault Ste. Marie	$0.87
46	Mount Clemens	$0.66
47	Auburn Hills	$0.61
48	Flat Rock	$0.66
49	Grandville	$0.68
50	Fenton	$0.76
51	Kalamazoo	$0.85
52	Dowagiac	$0.77
53	East Lansing	$0.84
54	Dearborn Heights	$0.72
55	Bay City	$0.68
56	Troy	$0.53
57	Northview	$0.72
58	Wayne	$0.87
59	Melvindale	$0.97
60	Hillsdale	$0.45
61	Mount Pleasant	$0.78
62	Wyoming	$0.70
63	Walker	$0.69
64	Grand Blanc	$0.77
65	Rochester Hills	$0.50
66	Southgate	$0.64
67	Portage	$0.63
68	Trenton	$0.66
69	South Lyon	$0.58
70	Detroit	$0.88
71	Flint	$0.92
72	Fair Plain	$0.69
73	Burton	$0.73
74	Fraser	$0.59
75	Lansing	$0.82
76	Taylor	$0.68
77	Farmington	$0.53
78	Escanaba	$0.76
79	Center Line	$0.75
80	Northville	$0.59
81	Farmington Hills	$0.60
82	Benton Harbor	$0.93
83	Holly	$0.52
84	Temperance	$0.62
85	Menominee	$0.64
86	Forest Hills	$0.44
87	Milford	$0.44
88	Alpena	$0.80
89	Saginaw	$0.85
90	Big Rapids	$1.18
91	Bridgeport	$0.80
92	Westland	$0.70
93	Huntington Woods	$0.46
94	Traverse City	$0.83
95	Cadillac	$0.82
96	Grosse Pointe	$0.47
97	Ann Arbor	$0.69
98	Albion	$0.92
99	Richmond	$0.62
100	Birmingham	$0.54

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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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