As Equal Pay Day approaches (March 26, 2026), a new analysis highlights where earnings between men and women are closest and where women are now earning more than men in certain communities.
Best Money recently analyzed newly released U.S. Census earnings data to compare median annual earnings for full-time men and women across thousands of U.S. communities.
Key findings:
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.
In the Bend, OR, metro area of Crooked River Ranch, OR, the female earnings ratio is 1.40. Here, the median salary for women is $92,099, compared to the median salary for men of $65,714.
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, Maryland, California, and New York have the most cities in the country where women outearn men.
Oakland, CA, and Los Angeles, CA, have the most 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.
While national discussions often focus on the overall gender pay gap, this analysis highlights where parity is already happening and where progress is most visible.
With economic pressures and workforce participation continuing to shape household finances, the cities closest to equal pay offer a real-world look at how earnings are evolving across the country.
As spring allergy season ramps up and pollen counts climb, millions of Americans with severe asthma face a higher risk of sudden, frightening flare-ups that can send them to the ER — even if they’re taking daily medication.
An estimated 2 million Americans live with severe asthma, and more than 80% of people with severe asthma exhibit elevated levels of eosinophils (a type of white blood cell). People living with severe asthma and an elevated level of eosinophils can experience frequent asthma attacks and may lead them to the emergency room or require a hospital stay.
In this interview, Dareen Siri, MD, Pediatric and Adult Allergy Asthma & Immunology, discusses severe asthma, risks associated with uncontrolled disease and a new option available designed to prevent asthma attacks.
Interview courtesy: GSK (References available)
About Exdensur (depemokimab-ulaa)
EXDENSUR is indicated for the add-on maintenance treatment of severe asthma, characterized by an eosinophilic phenotype, in adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older. EXDENSUR is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm or status asthmaticus.
Important Safety Information for EXDENSUR
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Hypersensitivity Reactions
Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, can occur following administration of EXDENSUR. If asevere hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue EXDENSUR and initiate appropriate therapy.
Acute Asthma Symptoms or Deteriorating Disease
EXDENSUR should not be used to treat acute asthma symptoms or acute exacerbations.
Risk Associated with Abrupt Reduction of Corticosteroid Dosage
Do not abruptly discontinue systemic or inhaled corticosteroids upon initiation of EXDENSUR therapy. Reductions in corticosteroid dose, if appropriate, should be gradual and under the supervision of a healthcare provider. Reduction in corticosteroid dose may be associated with systemic withdrawal symptoms and/or unmask conditions previously suppressed by systemic corticosteroid therapy.
Parasitic (Helminth) Infection
Patients with pre-existing helminth infections should be treated for their infection prior to initiation of EXDENSUR therapy. If patients become infected while receiving EXDENSUR and do not respond to anti-helminth treatment, discontinue EXDENSUR until the infection resolves.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
In patients receiving EXDENSUR, the most common adverse reactions (≥4%) were upper respiratory tract infection, allergic rhinitis, influenza, arthralgia, and pharyngitis. Injection site reactions reactions also occurred.
USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
The data in pregnant women are insufficient to identify a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Transport of endogenous IgG antibodies and monoclonal antibodies, such as depemokimab-ulaa, across the placenta increases as pregnancy progresses and peaks during the third trimester.
The potential clinical impact of depemokimab-ulaa transmission to the fetus is unknown as the effect of YTE modification on placental transfer is uncertain and may lead to prolonged exposure in an infant. Pregnant women exposed to EXDENSUR, or their healthcare providers, should report EXDENSUR exposure by calling 1-888-825-5249.
The Salt We Bleed takes you on an evocative journey through the intricate layers of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery. Each poem offers a raw and unflinching look at the human experience, capturing moments of vulnerability and resilience with a contemporary voice. Divided into four distinct sections—The Blossoming, The Unraveling, The Fallout, and The Reflection—this collection mirrors the universal cycles of emotional growth and healing. Whether you’re navigating the highs and lows of modern relationships or finding strength in solitude, The Salt We Bleed is a companion for your soul. Perfect for fans of Rupi Kaur and Atticus, Denile Baugh’s debut collection delivers poignant insights and lyrical beauty, making it a must-read for anyone seeking connection and introspection in a chaotic world. Feel deeply. Heal boldly. Bleed beautifully.
Denile Baugh is a poet and writer from Kingston, Jamaica, whose work explores love, heartbreak, identity, and resilience. She discovered her passion for poetry at a young age, finding solace in the rhythm of language and storytelling. Denile honed her craft through the Jamaica Youth Theatre, earning multiple awards in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission Poetry Competition. Her writing blends raw honesty, vivid imagery, and melodic flow, drawing from her own experiences and the shared human condition. Her debut chapbook, The Salt We Bleed, is a deeply personal collection that invites readers to explore the complexities of vulnerability, loss, and self-discovery. Inspired by the rich oral traditions of her Jamaican heritage and contemporary poetry, Denile’s work resonates with authenticity and emotional depth. Now residing in Hartford, Connecticut, she continues to use her voice to connect, heal, and inspire through the transformative power of words.
With gas prices 60% higher than the historical average and cost-of-living pressures continuing to strain household budgets, WalletHub today released its editors’ picks for 2026’s Best Gas Credit Cards to help drivers save money.
Key Findings:
Best Gas Credit Card: The Citi Custom Cash® Card offers 5% cash back in your top eligible spending category, up to $500 spent each billing cycle (1% back thereafter), and gas is an eligible category. New cardholders can also earn a $200 initial bonus for spending $1,500 in the first 6 months.
Best Gas Station Credit Card: The BP Credit Card is the best gas station credit card, offering a rebate of 15 to 30 cents per gallon at BP stations.
Best Gas Credit Card for Initial Bonus: The HSBC Premier World Credit Card offers an initial bonus of 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months (worth $625 in travel or $500 in cash), plus 3 points per $1 spent on gas.
“People try all sorts of tricks to save money at the pump when gas prices get high, from minding their speedometer, idling and AC usage to hunting around for the station charging the cheapest prices. Such measures are helpful, though somewhat hard to quantify and not always easy to pull off. For many people, using a different credit card to pay is a much easier, more dependable way to save. You can save up to 5% - 6% with the right card, which could add up to hundreds of dollars pretty quickly these days.”
More than 65 million U.S. households own a dog. But for tens of millions of Americans, having a dog remains out of reach, blocked by lease restrictions, small apartments, limited park access and rising pet costs. This divide is what Windup Minds calls the “dog gap,” the difference between wanting a pet and being able to have one. Even for those who do have dogs, some cities are far more pet-friendly than others.
Independent game studio Windup Minds, creator of the PC pet simulator Stay: Your Forever Pet, released a ranking of America’s most and least dog-friendly cities. The game is designed for the millions who love dogs, but can’t have one at home, or who want a new, virtual pet to play with anytime, anywhere. Stay: Your Forever Pet is now available to wishlist on Steam Early Access.
The data highlights a stark divide in dog ownership access across U.S. cities. While some cities foster pet-friendly communities, others make it difficult to bring a dog home. Instead of giving up, people turn to alternatives: dog-sharing apps, visiting friends’ pets, or spending time at dog parks without owning a dog themselves. Stay: Your Forever Pet is the next step on that list.
Stay: Your Forever Pet offers a low-pressure, emotionally rich alternative. Players care for Ember, a virtual canine friend with lifelike behaviors, expressive animations and a personality shaped by attention and interaction. The game is built to be picked up and put down, reflecting the rhythms of real pet care.
“We’re not trying to replace real pets,” said Bernie Yee, CEO of Windup Minds. “But we know many players have always wanted a dog, and their living situation or city won’t allow it. Stay: Your Forever Pet is for them.”
America's Most Dog-Friendly Cities: 1 Scottsdale, AZ 2 Tampa, FL 3 Portland, OR 4 Austin, TX 5 Las Vegas, NV 6 Cincinnati, OH 7 Orlando, FL 8 St. Louis, MO 9 Boise, ID 10 San Diego, CA
America's Least Dog-Friendly Cities: 1 Honolulu, HI 2 New York, NY 3 Boston, MA 4 Fresno, CA 5 Stockton, CA 6 Milwaukee, WI 7 Detroit, MI 8 Durham, NC 9 Chicago, IL 10 Newark, NJ
About Stay: Your Forever Pet In Stay: Your Forever Pet, players create a shared home with Ember, forage for resources, and encounter whimsical creatures called Mosslings in a world called the Otherlands. The game is designed to be played on your time, a few minutes here, a longer session there, in the way that caring for a real animal shapes your day.
Why These Cities and What the Data Shows Scottsdale leads the ranking thanks to an abundance of off-leash dog parks and year-round outdoor weather that makes daily activity practical. Tampa, Portland, San Diego, Las Vegas, Orlando and Austin are also in the top tier, as cities where lower density, trail networks, and pet-friendly culture combine to create a genuinely dog-friendly environment.
At the other end, Honolulu's isolation and high housing costs create compounding difficulties: small apartments, restrictive rental rules, and limited green space in crowded neighborhoods. New York follows for similar reasons: dense housing, high costs and buildings that routinely ban pets entirely. Other cities that are among the least dog-friendly include Boston, Milwaukee, Detroit and Chicago.
Methodology Cities were evaluated using publicly available data across six categories: dog parks per capita, walkability scores, access to trails and green space, density of pet services (veterinary care, groomers, pet supply stores), average weather suitability for outdoor activity, and local rental and housing policies affecting pet ownership. Rankings represent a composite score across all categories.
About Windup Minds Windup Minds is an independent game studio based in Seattle, Washington (where dogs outnumber children!), with a development team located around the world. The studio is dedicated to redefining virtual pet experiences with heart, humor, and emotional depth, drawing on diverse industry experience from beloved projects and studios. More information is available at windupminds.com.
While America is betting on basketball brackets, The64.com is launching a national search for America’s Best Hot Dog. Beginning March 26, the public can vote as 64 standout hot dog spots from across the nation compete in an 18-day tournament. Each contender earned its place through a loyal following, a distinct style, and a reputation that stretches beyond its zip code.
From chili dogs and Chicago-style staples to corn dogs, Coney favorites, bacon-wrapped creations, and regional originals, the field reflects the full range of hot dog traditions woven into American food culture. Among the contenders are iconic names and local standouts from coast to coast, including Pink’s in Los Angeles, The Varsity in Atlanta, The Hot Grill in Clifton, New Jersey, Uncle Franky’s in Minneapolis, Jack’s Cosmic Dogs in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs in Las Vegas.
“Every region thinks their hot dog is the one,” said Justin Woo, founder of The64.com. “Chicago is absolutely certain about it. So is New York. So is the guy who’s been driving 20 minutes to the same place since he was a kid. We built this tournament to settle that argument publicly, one matchup at a time. With basketball watch parties underway and baseball season right around the corner, there’s no better moment to spotlight one of America’s most iconic and most debated foods.”
The competition runs for 18 days, with voters narrowing the field round by round until one spot is crowned America’s Best Hot Dog. There are no judges, no committee, and no editorial rankings. Unlike traditional best-of lists, The64.com tournament format is built around community participation, with every matchup decided by public vote.
ABOUT THE64
The64 is an interactive voting platform built to celebrate the ‘Best Of’ through fun and competitive tournaments nationwide. Designed to engage both voters and contestants, The64 hosts multiple bracket-style tournaments simultaneously across the country, spanning categories beyond entertainment, including lifestyle, business, education, and culture. Voters can participate in many tournaments at once, moving their favorites from regional to national levels. The more they play, the greater their chances of winning prizes. For contestants, The64 provides a great opportunity to broaden reach, attract new audiences, and build brand loyalty through a distinctive, highly visible competition format.
Parents spend a lot of time at the doctor's with their children, and when they get into the exam room, they expect thorough, caring medical help.
More than 6,000 doctors' office reviews from 50 major cities wererecently analyzedto determine what kind of experiences patients are having. Doctors in some areas are letting them down.
National highlights:
Riverside, CA, Seattle, WA, and Fresno, CA, have the longest waits in doctors' offices.
Riverside, CA, Cleveland, OH, and Fresno, CA, residents are the most likely to feel rushed during doctor visits.
San Francisco, CA, New Orleans, LA, and San Jose, CA, are home to the most thorough doctors.
San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, and Sacramento, CA, are home to the most attentive doctors.
New York, NY, Tampa, FL, and Washington, D.C., are the top cities where doctors are considered worth the wait.
In recognition of Problem Gambling Awareness Month, Anita Ondine Smith has released ASSIST: How to Help a Loved One with a Gambling Problem Without Losing Yourself, a timely new book for the millions of people impacted not only by problem gambling, but by the emotional fallout that reaches every corner of a family.
Wife of former NBA player Randy Livingston, Smith brings a deeply personal perspective to an issue too often discussed only through the lens of the person struggling with addiction. ASSIST shifts the focus to the people standing beside them: the spouses, partners, parents, children, friends, coaches, and colleagues who are often left carrying the fear, confusion, secrecy, and exhaustion that problem gambling creates.
Part compassionate guide and part practical roadmap, the book offers support for those trying to help someone they love without losing their own stability in the process. Readers will learn how to recognize warning signs, start productive conversations without triggering defensiveness, understand treatment and recovery options, set healthy boundaries, navigate denial and relapse, support at-risk young people, safeguard their own well-being, and decide when to keep fighting for the relationship or step back.
Smith’s insight comes from extensive research, science-backed findings, and lived experience. She supported her husband through his recovery from gambling addiction, giving the couple a firsthand understanding of both sides of gambling harm: the person gambling in an unhealthy way, and the person beside them, trying to help them get help.
“You cannot control someone else’s gambling,” said Randy Livingston. “But you can change how you respond, and that can change everything. Anita and I have used my journey with gambling addiction to help families have proactive, informed conversations about gambling. Some battles are too big to face alone. You need help, and this book fills a critical gap in the recovery process.”
“When I was navigating Randy’s gambling addiction, I searched for guidance and found almost nothing for the people trying to help,” said Anita Ondine Smith. “There are resources for the person experiencing harm from gambling, but very few tools exist for the people supporting them. I wrote this book to be the book I wish I had at the time, and to help other families now facing harm from gambling. If someone you love is gambling and you’re worried their behavior is becoming unhealthy, this book is for you.”
Smith and Livingston both serve as Responsible Gaming Ambassadors for FanDuel, and they also created Trusted Voices: Conversations About Betting, a parent-focused resource hub designed to encourage informed, honest conversations about gambling and its risks.
Published by LivOn Productions Press, ASSIST: How to Help a Loved One with a Gambling Problem Without Losing Yourself is now available on Amazon.
About Anita Ondine Smith:
Anita Ondine Smith is an Author, Responsible Gaming Ambassador, Lawyer, Media Producer, Sports Agent, Speaker and Mother of two who writes from the perspective of someone deeply impacted by gambling addiction. She supported her husband, Randy Livingston, an NBA veteran and professional basketball coach, through his recovery journey and has since become an advocate for families affected by gambling harm. Alongside Randy, she co-founded Trusted Voices: Conversations About Betting, an educational initiative aimed at helping parents and families better understand gambling risks. Through her work, Smith offers compassion and actionable guidance for those seeking support in difficult circumstances.
A childcare bill that can eat two-thirds of a paycheck in one city and stay in the single digits in another is reshuffling the family-city leaderboard and helps explain the sleeper-city surge we see at the heart ofour 2026 ranking.
StorageCafe set out to measure exactly that gap, scoring the full stack of family costs and infrastructure: housing, childcare, schools, safety, healthcare, commute time, and daily logistics, to find where the fundamentals genuinely align, not just where the reputation says they should.
Key highlights from the ranking:
The sleeper city surge is real: 9 of the Top 10 are mid-sized South/Midwest metros. Top 5: Lexington, KY; Durham, NC; Madison, WI; Winston-Salem, NC; St. Louis, MO, all outscoring bigger-name cities on the fundamentals families can't negotiate around.
Why they’re winning:The Top 10 consistently outperform on the pressures families can't negotiate around, the majority carry rent-to-income and mortgage burdens below national averages, and every single one posts commute times shorter than the national 27-minute average, backed by stronger family infrastructure including smaller student–teacher ratios and more childcare capacity.
Lexington, KY leads not on buzz, but basics: a $307K median 3BR home (18% of income toward the mortgage), ~$17K annually in childcare for two children (17% of income), 19.6 pediatricians per 10,000 children, and 152 acres of parkland per 10,000 residents. Low cost of entry, strong infrastructure to back it up, that's the combination most families are looking for.
Where the math stops working: The bottom clusters in high-cost California (8 of the 10 lowest-ranked cities), where housing alone can consume the budget before childcare enters the equation: Los Angeles (~$4,700/month rent, ~68% of income), Anaheim (~$894K median 3BR, ~65% mortgage-to-income).
WFH payoff: In Durham (21% WFH) and Madison (17% WFH), both well above the national 13%, roughly 1 in 4 households include children, and that share grew over the past decade while the national figure declined by 3%, suggesting flexibility is becoming part of what "family-friendly" looks like.
“The cities rising in this ranking aren’t necessarily the cheapest — they’re the ones that have stopped forcing families to choose between good schools, reliable childcare, manageable commutes and enough living space. These places benefit from family-friendly infrastructure, from access to quality housing to safe, engaged communities that help children thrive. Self storage also plays a practical role in keeping homes livable, giving families space for everything from Lego collections to bikes and sports equipment that might otherwise crowd everyday living areas. Altogether, these cities offer a strong starting point for families searching for kid-friendly places to put down roots.” — Emilia Man, research analyst, StorageCafe
Oral health is often overlooked, but it is crucial to overall well-being. The mouth is a gateway to the body, and issues that begin there can affect nutrition, speech, confidence, and even contribute to systemic health conditions. In the past, dentistry has been a “fix the problem” service, with little time and little value placed on education and prevention. And yet, the vast majority of the disease dentists treat is preventable. Here The Lifestyle Dentist Dr Maria Papavergos looks at how to achieve good oral health on World Oral Health Day (20th March) .
Oral Health Statistics*:
41% of adults in the UK have untreated tooth decay.
Nearly half of adults (47%) report experiencing at least one oral health impact in the last year.
More than one-in-five 5 year olds in England (23.7%) have obvious decay in their teeth.
Tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged 5–9.
Child tooth extractions due to decay cost the NHS over £40 million each year.
Each year, there are around 10,825 new cases of mouth cancer in the UK.
Oral health is strongly linked with levels of deprivation. Brushing twice daily rises from 69% in the most deprived areas to 85% in the least deprived.
Importance of nutrition in good oral health
Nutrition is increasingly sidelined — despite being foundational to both mental and physical performance. It is important to remember that a healthy, balanced diet impacts oral health as well as overall health. Nutrition is one of the foundations of oral health. Fifty percent of mouth cancers are associated with a diet low in fresh fruit and vegetables. The abundance of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are protective against malignant change. In contrast, highly processed foods, high in refined carbohydrates, are pro-inflammatory and associated with a higher risk of periodontal (gum) disease. Gum disease is linked to increased risk of systemic diseases, with a threefold increase in risk of diabetes and being causal in the development of cardiovascular disease. It’s time to make positive changes for our oral health through prioritising nutrition.
Dr Maria Papavergos comments: “The connection between the mouth and the rest of the body is indisputable with oral-systemic links being well established not only in terms of chronic inflammatory disease, but immunity and longevity too. It’s time to put the mouth on the map to health.”
Key Oral Health Tips
Brush twice a day and clean between your teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes. Ideally
wait at least an hour after eating acidic foods before brushing to prevent enamel damage
When cleaning your teeth, spit out excess toothpaste but avoid rinsing with water or mouthwash immediately, as this can wash away the fluoride.
Stay hydrated: drink plenty of water to maintain healthy saliva flow and a balanced oral microbiome.
Reduce sugary drinks and snacks which increase the chance of tooth decay and consume anti-inflammatory foods, such as oily fish containing omega 3 fatty acids and calcium rich foods such as dairy products and green leafy vegetables to strengthen teeth and bones.
Keep up the regular dentist trips - at least once every 6 months!
For better oral hygiene and overall wellbeing, consider using targeted oral probiotics alongside a balanced diet to rebalance the oral microbiome
Luvbiotics is the British probiotic oral care brand developed by microbiologists and dentists. Instead of using harsh antibacterial formulas that can wipe out everything in your mouth (good and bad), Luvbiotics is built around a smarter idea: support the oral microbiome and keep things in balance. The range of toothpastes, mouthwashes and oral health lozenges are available via Holland & Barrett, Superdrug, Wholefoods, Amazon, leading health-food wholesalers, and direct from the Luvbiotics website.
Dr Maria Papavergos (@thelifestyledentist) is a forward-thinking general dentist with a 360 approach to oral health, viewing the mouth as the gateway to the whole body. With over 10 years clinical experience, she is on a mission to shine a light on the importance of the oral microbiome.
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