In 2026, women are now outearning men in several areas across the country. Even in places where women are earning less, the difference now is much lower than in the past. As experts in personal finance, we at Best Money wanted to dive into these numbers to learn where women are taking the lead and outearning men.
To do this, we analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Community Survey data released in January 2026 to calculate the female earnings ratio when comparing median salaries among men and women. Read on to learn more about our findings.
Key Takeaways
- Marlton, MD, and Crooked River Ranch, OR, are the top two cities where women outearn men.
- Oakland, CA, and Los Angeles, CA, have the most equal pay among men and women in the U.S.
- Fresno, CA, and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, are the top two metro areas for equal pay among men and women in the U.S.
- The Washington, D.C., metro area is home to the most suburbs with equal pay, claiming 10 of the top 25 spots.
- Town and Country, MO, and Key Biscayne, FL, are the top two suburbs for the least pay equality in the U.S.
Where Women Are Outearning Men in the U.S.
To determine where women are outearning men, we first focused our attention on cities where the population is 5,000 or greater, and female median earnings are $60,000 or greater, which is approximate national median income for individuals.
From there, we divided the median earnings among women by the median earnings among men to create a female earnings ratio. We then ranked cities from the highest to lowest percentage, and used the female median earnings to break ties.
1. Marlton, MD
Leading the way with the highest ratio, is Marlton, MD, with a ratio of 1.40. Within the Washington, D.C. metro area, women in Marlton earn a median salary of $100,525 while men take home $71,923.
2. Crooked River Ranch, OR
Up next, we travel to the Bend, OR, metro area to Crooked River Ranch, OR, with a female earnings ratio of 1.40. Here the median salary for women is $92,099, compared to the men’s median salary of $65,714.
3. Swannanoa, NC
Coming in third for where women outearn men is Swannanoa, NC, within the Asheville, NC, metro area. With a median female earnings of $73,618 and median male earnings of $52,500, Swannanoa earns a ratio of 1.40.
Overall, we discovered Maryland, California, and New York have the most cities in the country where women outearn men.
Where Pay is Most Equal Among Men and Women
While women are overcoming the pay gap in many parts of the country, we also wanted to shine a light specifically on major cities where the pay gap is closing. For this ranking, we included locations with a population of 250,000 or more. Once again, ratio ties were broken using the female median earnings.
1. Oakland, CA
Up first, as the only major city where women are outearning men is Oakland, CA, with a female earnings ratio of 1.01. Here the median salary for women is $82,628, which narrowly beats out the $82,164 median salary for men.
2. Los Angeles, CA
While women are earning less on average than men, Los Angeles, CA, has the smallest gap in pay between the two genders, earning a ratio of 0.98. In the City of Angels, women earn a median salary of $61,057, while men earn $62,173.
3. Long Beach, CA
Next up is another California city as Long Beach, CA, earns third place with a female earnings ratio of 0.96. While women in Long Beach earn slightly more than those in Los Angeles ($61,754), the median salary for men is nearly $2,300 more ($64,438).
Suburbs with the Most and Least Pay Equality
After learning the hot spots for high-earning women across the country, we turned our attention to pay equality in the suburbs. To do this, we analyzed more than 800 suburbs across 50 metro areas to determine in which suburbs pay is most and least equal.
1. Marlton, MD
Coming in first once again is Marlton, MD, as the most equal-paying suburb in the U.S. This marks just one of the 10 Washington, D.C., metro area suburbs in the top 25 for the most pay equality.
2. Bailey's Crossroads, VA
In second place is another Washington, D.C., metro area as Bailey’s Crossroads, VA, earns a ratio of 1.39. Here women earn a median salary of $85,513, compared to men’s $61,370.
3. Alpine, CA
Wrapping up the top three suburbs with the most pay equality is Alpine, CA, in the San Diego, CA, metro area. In this suburb, the median income for women is $95,689, while men earn $74,212.
After learning the areas where pay is most equal, we wanted to gain more insight into the suburbs that still have a larger pay gap. Across the top 25 suburbs with the least pay equality, we found the Dallas, TX, metro area claimed 4 of the top spots, while the New York, NY, metro area claimed 3.
1. Town and Country, MO
In first place for the suburb with the least pay equality is Town and Country, MO, located in the St. Louis, MO, metro area. Earning a female earnings ratio of 0.39, we find a rather high salary for women of $93,947 totally eclipsed by the $243,984 salary earned by men in the area.
2. Key Biscayne, FL
For second place, we travel to Key Biscayne, FL, in the Miami, FL, metro area. With a ratio of 0.39, the suburb ranks for the second least pay equality as the median salary for women is $75,841, compared to the $195,938 median salary earned by men.
3. University Park, TX
Rounding out the top three is the first Dallas, TX, metro area suburb on our ranking, University Park, TX, with a ratio of 0.41. Once again, we find a six-figure median salary for women at $101,463, which pales in comparison to the $250,001 salary earned by men.
Helping You Make the Best Money Decisions
Whether you are among the highest earners or are still moving up the ladder to reach a certain salary goal, real financial success comes from making the best money decisions. That’s why the team at Best Money built a platform to help you feel more confident when comparing different financial products.
From weighing top mortgage lenders before buying your dream home to choosing between a cash back or a rewards credit card, our tools are designed to bring clarity to decisions that can shape your long-term financial health. While pay gaps may vary from city to another, access to clear, unbiased financial information can help level the playing field everywhere.
Methodology
In February 2026, our team analyzed median annual earnings for full-time men and women in more than 6,500 places in the U.S. to determine where there is the most equality in earnings, and the few places where women earn more than men on average.
Data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Community Survey, 5-Year Estimate, 2020 - 2024, published on January 29th, 2026.
Some places were excluded from our analysis based on small sample sizes and or ambiguous data. Those include any places with less than 5,000 residents and any places where both the male and female median earnings were capped at $250,001, meaning we are unable to calculate a true ratio.
The BestMoney editorial team is composed of writers and experts covering a full range of financial services. Our mission is to simplify the process of selecting the right provider for every need, leveraging our extensive industry knowledge to deliver clear, reliable advice.
