Money Matters - Where Gender Pay Gap is Closing

 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.