DOYLESTOWN, Pa. — Thirty miles north of Philadelphia, upscale subdivisions such as Colonial Commons interrupt dairy farms, centuries-old roadside stone houses and the winding Neshaminy Creek that flows between Doylestown and Newtown. Both cities were once rural outposts that morphed into fashionable commercial, dining and shopping hubs.
This is one of the most closely watched areas in U.S. politics. President Joe Biden ran up his numbers in Bucks County, which includes both cities, on the way to flipping Pennsylvania from Republican Donald Trump four years ago, and won among suburban women in the state by a substantial margin.
Biden and his allies are trying to replicate Democrats’ success with suburban women this year and signaling they can win a small number of Republican women who may be opposed to a second Trump presidency.
But in dozens of interviews this month in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County, there was little evidence traditional Republicans were ready to abandon Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, in significant numbers.
“I feel like I have to vote for the policies, not the person,” said Lynn Natale, 62, an interior designer. While she criticized Trump’s rhetorical style — “It’s like he doesn’t have the words to speak directly to women” — she said she supported his ideas on the economy and immigration.
“The alternative is unacceptable,” she said.
Lynn Natale, 62, right, talks to her friend Terry Sykes at a coffee shop in Bucks County, Pa., on June 14, 2024.
Thomas Beaumont, Associated Press
About a dozen volunteers gathered in Biden’s Bucks County campaign office on a recent sunny Saturday afternoon. The group fanned out across politically mixed neighborhoods around Doylestown, knocking on doors of registered Republican voters as well as those unaffiliated with either major party to ask them about issues that concerned them most.
In addition to the Biden campaign’s outreach in politically mixed and Republican-voting neighborhoods of Bucks County, conservative groups such as Women4Us and Republican Voters Against Trump are mobilizing in suburban Philadelphia with hopes of peeling off GOP voters.
Stephanie Sharp, with Women4Us, pointed to former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley receiving 22% of the vote in the four-county suburban Philadelphia bloc in April’s Republican presidential primary. That translated to 42,032 votes Haley won six weeks after she suspended her campaign, an apparent protest vote against Trump.
“Pennsylvania’s closed Republican primary demonstrated an appetite for something better,” said Sharp, whose group is planning outreach to GOP women in the most competitive presidential campaign states, including Pennsylvania.
“Republican women have had enough of our votes being taken for granted,” she added.
Trump’s team is confident inflation and illegal immigration will drive some suburban women toward the former president.
“President Trump is speaking to women when he discusses the sky-high cost of rent, groceries and gas in Biden’s America,” Trump’s national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “President Trump is speaking to women when he talks about the migrant crime that has ravaged suburban communities.”
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About 6 in 10 suburban women in Pennsylvania voted for Biden in 2020, according to AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of voters nationwide, while 4 in 10 voted for Trump.
This year, many suburban women aren’t happy to be faced with the same matchup — a trend that’s true of Americans at large, according to public polling.
Anusha Bela, 40, of Doylestown in Bucks County, Pa., seen June 13, says she supports President Joe Biden but not as fervently as she did four years ago.
Thomas Beaumont, Associated Press
A recent survey of women voters by KFF found that about 6 in 10 suburban women are unsatisfied with their options for president. About half of those who identify as Democrats or lean toward the Democratic Party said the main reason they’re not satisfied with Biden was related to his age or his mental and physical health.
Much smaller shares of Democratic-leaning suburban women pointed to other concerns, such as the Israel-Hamas war, the economy or Biden’s performance as president.
Suburban women voters were generally much likelier to say Biden respects women, compared to Trump. About 7 in 10 suburban women voters said Biden respects women a lot or some, compared to only about 3 in 10 suburban women who said that about Trump. Nearly 7 in 10 suburban women said Trump doesn’t respect women much, or at all.
But when asked about the most important issue for their 2024 vote, suburban women were most likely to point to inflation.
Terry Sykes, 61, owner of the boutique and spa along Newtown’s quaint State Street, says the local economy matters most to her.
It thrived, she said, during Trump’s administration, “like turning on a light switch.”
“To be clear, all of Trump’s policy positions support how I live my life,” Sykes said. “I mean, he is who he is. And women need to get over it. Because it’s all about the policy and the health of our economy.”
Anusha Bela, 40, working from a laptop in a coffee shop in Doylestown’s bustling downtown, was a more fervent Biden supporter early on but became disappointed with what she viewed as his slow response to Israel’s violence in Gaza.
“And would I prefer someone younger? Yes. Would I prefer someone who seems to have newer ideas? Yes,” the sports business consultant said.
“But Trump is a danger to democracy,” she said.
Top 10 US counties where women earn the most and least compared to men
Top 10 US counties where women earn the most and least compared to men
Different factors can affect the gender pay gap, depending on where you live. Family economics, social values and gender selection trends among different industries can each contribute to the gap in a given economy. While no one factor alone may explain the whole story, there are noticeable trends in women's pay compared with men's that are specific to each state and county.
With this in mind, ranked 282 of the largest U.S. counties as well as all 50 states to determine where the gender pay gap is most and least prominent.
Key findings There's only one county where women make more than men. Women make $1.09 for every $1 men make in Prince George's County, MD. The median pay for women working full-time is $62,568, compared to $57,276 for men. The median income for all households is $89,689.Women earn less than 75% of what men make in these states. The gender pay gap is widest for full-time year-round workers in Wyoming, where women make 68.4 cents for every dollar men make. Utah (70.8 cents), Louisiana (71.2 cents), Alabama (74.1 cents) and West Virginia (74.4 cents) also rank for the lowest relative pay for women.Women and men are almost at parity in the Bronx and Queens. The Bronx and Queens are nearly at pay parity for full-time workers. Women make 99.1% and 98.1% of men's median pay, respectively. This puts the Bronx in second place and Queens in third when it comes to where women make most relative to men. In Manhattan, or New York County, the median full-time earnings for women is 80.9 cents per every dollar men earn.Statewide, the gender pay gap is smallest in Vermont. Women bring in a median $48,672 compared to $54,858 for men, or 88.7 cents on the dollar. For all households, the average income is $72,415, or 16th-highest nationwide.Among counties, women have the highest median full-time pay in San Francisco. Women in San Francisco County out-earn women in the other 281 largest counties, bringing in $87,245 (82.1% of the median for men at $106,194.)Statewide, women earn the most in Massachusetts. Women in Massachusetts who work full-time earn $62,628 on average, more than in any other state. This is 83.1% of the men's median pay of $75,301. Massachusetts ranked 10th overall when it comes to women's pay as a percentage of men's.High-income areas tend to have larger discrepancies in median pay. Many counties with the highest median household incomes also rank at the bottom when it comes to women's pay as a percentage of men's, including Loudoun County, VA; Santa Clara County, CA. One exception to this trend is San Mateo County, CA, which has the 13th-highest women's pay when compared with men (89.6 cents per dollar). The median household pay is fifth-highest studywide here at $131,151.
IM_photo // Shutterstock
Top 10 states with the highest relative pay for women
Pay statistics are for full-time, year-round workers in 2023.
Vermont Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.887 Median women's pay: $48,672 Median men's pay: $54,858 Median total household income: $72,415Maryland Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.866 Median women's pay: $60,599 Median men's pay: $69,948 Median total household income: $90,129New York Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.864 Median women's pay: $55,664 Median men's pay: $64,403 Median total household income: $74,230California Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.860 Median women's pay: $53,866 Median men's pay: $62,668 Median total household income: $84,831Delaware Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.851 Median women's pay: $50,670 Median men's pay: $59,573 Median total household income: $71,636Nevada Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.848 Median women's pay: $43,487 Median men's pay: $51,292 Median total household income: $66,194Florida Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.840 Median women's pay: $41,496 Median men's pay: $49,411 Median total household income: $63,054Alaska Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.834 Median women's pay: $53,722 Median men's pay: $64,397 Median total household income: $78,437Hawaii Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.832 Median women's pay: $48,269 Median men's pay: $58,013 Median total household income: $85,547Massachusetts Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.832 Median women's pay: $62,628 Median men's pay: $75,301 Median total household income: $89,57710 states with the lowest relative pay for women Pay statistics are for full-time, year-round workers in 2023.
Wyoming Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.684 Median women's pay: $41,338 Median men's pay: $60,414 Median total household income: $66,508Utah Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.709 Median women's pay: $42,595 Median men's pay: $60,116 Median total household income: $79,449Louisiana Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.712 Median women's pay: $39,564 Median men's pay: $55,537 Median total household income: $52,090Alabama Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.742 Median women's pay: $39,279 Median men's pay: $52,944 Median total household income: $53,990West Virginia Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.745 Median women's pay: $38,263 Median men's pay: $51,384 Median total household income: $51,122Oklahoma Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.751 Median women's pay: $38,752 Median men's pay: $51,568 Median total household income: $55,829Idaho Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.757 Median women's pay: $39,425 Median men's pay: $52,095 Median total household income: $66,318Mississippi Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.763 Median women's pay: $36,128 Median men's pay: $47,379 Median total household income: $48,871Indiana Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.763 Median women's pay: $41,870 Median men's pay: $54,853 Median total household income: $62,723Michigan Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.769 Median women's pay: $44,758 Median men's pay: $58,217 Median total household income: $63,444Top 10 counties with the highest relative pay for women Pay statistics are for full-time, year-round workers in 2023.
Prince George's County, MD Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $1.092 Median women's pay: $62,568 Median men's pay: $57,276 Median total household income: $89,689Bronx County, NY Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.991 Median women's pay: $43,972 Median men's pay: $44,357 Median total household income: $43,143Queens County, NY Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.981 Median women's pay: $53,956 Median men's pay: $54,996 Median total household income: $72,807Suffolk County, MA Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.953 Median women's pay: $64,202 Median men's pay: $67,401 Median total household income: $77,163Baltimore city, MD Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.933 Median women's pay: $51,953 Median men's pay: $55,695 Median total household income: $54,068Los Angeles County, CA Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.929 Median women's pay: $49,949 Median men's pay: $53,778 Median total household income: $77,356Kings County, NY Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.916 Median women's pay: $57,526 Median men's pay: $62,829 Median total household income: $66,943Santa Barbara County, CA Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.913 Median women's pay: $50,729 Median men's pay: $55,561 Median total household income: $83,185DeKalb County, GA Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.910 Median women's pay: $50,921 Median men's pay: $55,951 Median total household income: $70,756Durham County, NC Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.904 Median women's pay: $51,301 Median men's pay: $56,724 Median total household income: $71,436
SmartAsset
10 counties with the lowest relative pay for women
Pay statistics are for full-time, year-round workers in 2023.
Williamson County, TN Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.633 Median women's pay: $60,280 Median men's pay: $95,154 Median total household income: $123,474Forsyth County, GA Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.635 Median women's pay: $63,192 Median men's pay: $99,506 Median total household income: $120,919Utah County, UT Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.637 Median women's pay: $40,377 Median men's pay: $63,340 Median total household income: $86,597Douglas County, CO Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.662 Median women's pay: $65,680 Median men's pay: $99,229 Median total household income: $129,839Davis County, UT Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.664 Median women's pay: $44,525 Median men's pay: $67,105 Median total household income: $93,260Loudoun County, VA Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.678 Median women's pay: $76,695 Median men's pay: $113,069 Median total household income: $153,716Collin County, TX Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.681 Median women's pay: $58,240 Median men's pay: $85,465 Median total household income: $102,119St. Tammany Parish, LA Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.690 Median women's pay: $45,081 Median men's pay: $65,346 Median total household income: $68,616Hamilton County, IN Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.690 Median women's pay: $59,212 Median men's pay: $85,784 Median total household income: $108,203Madison County, AL Women's pay per $1 earned by men: $0.693 Median women's pay: $46,638 Median men's pay: $67,339 Median total household income: $78,386Data and methodology Data is for 2023 and comes from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. Gender pay gap metrics compare the median annual pay for women working full-time, year-round to that of men.
was produced by and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.
SmartAsset
Best states for women-owned small businesses in 2024
Best states for women-owned small businesses in 2024
The number of small businesses has been increasing in the United States over the past several years. Last year, the White House announced that were created in 2021 and 2022. Along with its growth in the total number of businesses, the U.S. is also seeing growth in the number of women-owned businesses in the country.
Overall, the number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. increased , making up 39.1% of all of the country's businesses, according to research from Wells Fargo. In total, women own employing 10 million workers and generating $3.9 trillion in revenue across the U.S. While this growth may be encouraging for women small-business owners, it's helpful to see in which states it's more favorable to start and run those small businesses.
analyzed seven metrics to determine the best states for women small-business owners, including factors such as share of employer businesses (businesses that have employees) owned by women, percentage of female-owned businesses that earn a revenue of $1 million or more, percentage of patents filed by women, and women's (deal count) per woman-owned businesses. See "methodology" for more information on how these rankings were calculated.
Key findings Washington is the best state for women small-business owners. The percentage of women-owned businesses in Washington outpaces every other state at 42% and has the highest percentage of female-owned businesses that earn a revenue of $1 million or more (34%).Delaware has the highest women's VC funding deal count rate per women-owned businesses in the country. In Delaware, 6% of women-owned businesses receive VC funding. This is a much higher percentage than the rest of the states, averaging at 1.16% of women-owned businesses receiving VC funding. Many businesses around the United States are incorporated out of Delaware, which is a contributing factor to this high percentage.Top states are mainly concentrated in the West. Delaware and Maryland are the only non-Western states that reached the top 10 states on this list. Top states typically had higher shares of employer businesses owned by women (ex: 39% in Montana and Oregon) and higher percentages of growth of women-owned businesses from 2012 to 2020 (ex: 22% in Utah).
f11photo // Shutterstock
Top states
1. Washington
Washington is a great state for women small-business owners, considering 42% of its small businesses are owned by women. Of those businesses, 34% make a revenue of $1 million or more. Washington's employment rate among women (59%) is also high compared to other states. Other studies have also consistently ranked Washington as a great state for .
2. Colorado
Colorado scores high for percentage of employer businesses owned by women (36%), employment rate among women (63%), female-owned businesses that earn a revenue of $1 million or more (27%), and percent change of women-owned businesses from 2012 to 2020 (19%). Each of these high scores makes Colorado a well-rounded state for women small-business owners.
3. Delaware
With a high percentage of patents filed by women (13%) and the highest percentage of women's VC funding per woman-owned businesses (6%), Delaware is a great state for women small- business owners to start and run their businesses.
4. Oregon
Scoring higher than the averages in most of the metrics measured, Oregon is an excellent state for women small-business owners. Some categories it scores exceptionally well in include percentage of employer businesses owned by women (39%), percentage of female-owned businesses that earned a revenue of $1 million or more (29%), and percentage of patents filed by women (15%).
5. California
As a powerhouse in share of employer businesses owned by women (38%), percentage of female-owned businesses that earned a revenue of $1 million or more (32%), and percentage of women's VC funding per woman-owned businesses (4%), California can be a great state for women small-business owners.
6. Utah
With a high growth in the number of women small-business owners between 2012 and 2020 (22%) and a high employment rate among women (60%), Utah is a great place for women small-business owners to start and run their small businesses.
7. Maryland
With more and more women becoming small-business owners in Maryland (12% increase between 2012 and 2020), the state can be a fantastic option for women looking to start and run their own small businesses. The state also has a high percentage of women filing patents (14%), making it a great place for women inventors.
8. Arizona
Arizona has a high percent increase of women small-business owners between 2012-2020 (17%) and a high percentage of female-owned businesses making a revenue of $1 million or more (30%). These high rankings place Arizona eighth on the list, making it an outstanding state for women small-business owners.
9. Hawaii
Hawaii is an exceptional state for women small-business owners. The Aloha State scores higher than average in share of employer businesses owned by women (38%), percentage change of women-owned businesses between 2012 and 2020 (29%), and percentage of female-owned businesses that made a revenue of $1 million or more (25%).
10. Wyoming
Much like Hawaii, Wyoming also scores higher than average in share of employer businesses owned by women (38%) and percentage of female-owned businesses that made a revenue of $1 million or more (31%). Landing at tenth place, Wyoming is a great state for women small-business owners.
Lendio
Runners-up
The runner-up states tend to more broadly excel in their share of employer businesses owned by women (34% average) and in their employment rates among women (58% average). For example, Montana has a 39% share of employer businesses owned by women, and 61% of its women are employed.
Few other runner-up states scored lower percentages in the categories stated above. However, those states make up for lower-than-average percentages in these categories with higher-than-average percentages in other categories. For example, Vermont ranks at 32% in its share of employer businesses owned by women (lower than the average of 34%), but 13% of its patents are filed by women (11% average), and 2% of its women-owned businesses received VC funding (1.16% average).
5 tips for women to start businesses Women have valuable experiences and skills they can contribute when building their own businesses. While it can be exciting to run your own business, getting your new gig up and running takes a great deal of effort. These tips will help you get going with your startup:
Develop a robust business plan – Start with a well-researched business idea, focusing on your unique value in the industry or niche that you've chosen. Consider finances, marketing tools, and your operations plan.Research loan and grant opportunities for women – The Small Business Administration offers programs, grants, and loan aid for . One example of aid the SBA provides is through the , which helps advocate for, educate, and support women small-business owners. Various organizations and nonprofits also offer financial support and programs for women small-business owners.Set up strong legal and financial foundations – Research the differences between LLCs, sole proprietorships, and corporations and choose what type of business structure makes the most sense for your business. Also, separate your personal and professional finances and make sure you are complying with federal and local regulations.Network – Connect with other small-business owners, women, and mentors who can help in the small-business ownership journey. Spread the word about your business by joining groups specific to your industry and getting involved with the local business community.Practice patience – Starting and running a business takes time and patience. By putting the right tools in place, you'll be able to stay tenacious while establishing your business.Women still face startup challenges Women's contributions to the American economy continue to grow and become more pronounced. While women-run businesses are becoming more common, they still come across hurdles that aren't as common for male-run businesses to face. For example, as of Feb. 26, women-owned businesses received just offered in SBA 7(a) and 504 loans in the 2023 fiscal year.
This fact, along with these findings, emphasizes the importance of empowering and acknowledging the importance of women small-business owners, encouraging their continual success in business.
Methodology
This analysis used the most recent data for the seven metrics listed below to determine the best states for women small-business owners. It used a Z-score distribution to scale each metric relative to the mean across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and capped outliers at 3. A state's overall ranking was calculated using its average Z-score across the seven metrics. In cases where states were missing data due to a low sample size, the remaining metrics were averaged to determine their overall scores. Here's a closer look at the metrics used:
Share of employer businesses owned by women including shared ownership, 2021 () Employment rate among women, 2022 () Percentage of female-owned businesses with a revenue of $1 million or more () Percentage change in total women-owned businesses (total number of employer and nonemployer firms) from 2012 () to 2020 () Percentage of patents filed by women () Women's VC funding (deal count) per women-owned businesses () Gini index of overall income inequality ()
was produced by and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.
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