These Are The 10 Best Cities For Women In Tech

What do Philadelphia, Atlanta, and D.C. have in common? They all happen to be some of the best cities for women in Tech in the country, according to recent research reports.

How were the top cities for women in tech determined?

Researchers at Smart Asset looked at 63 US cities for their research, ranking the top cities by four metrics:

• income earned after housing expenses
• women as a percentage of tech workers
• the last 3 years of growth in tech employment
• gender pay gap in the tech industry

For companies looking to net more diverse, high-end Tech talent, these are the cities where you’ll find the most qualified female Tech professionals in the country.

What cities are best for women in tech?

Rank	City	Income after housing	3-year growth	Gender pay gap
1	Arlington, VA	$64,620	27%	91%
2	Washington, DC	$61,803	23%	90%
3	Baltimore, MD	$63,203	15%	99%
4	Durham, NC	$59,995	30%	91%
5	Aurora, CO	$54,371	23%	91%
6	Houston, TX	$57,853	25%	91%
7	Cincinnati, OH	$61,016	17%	91%
8	Albuquerque, NM	$54,005	21%	91%
9	Jacksonville, FL	$54,319	13%	91%
10	Long Beach, CA	$55,640	17%	91%

For women in Tech looking to escape exclusionary work environments or unbalanced pay scales found in major Tech hotbeds — looking at you Silicon Valley — consider a career move to one of these ten cities.

1. Arlington, VA | Index Score: 100

A surprising contender for the best city for women in Tech, Arlington, VA tops the list with a perfect score in large part due to women making the highest income at $64,620.

Not to mention in Arlington, women in tech make 91 cents for every dollar men make, getting closer to closing the gender pay gap completely.

2. Washington, D.C. | Index Score: 93.49

D.C. continues to rank as the best city for women in Tech. This is the third year the city has been awarded the ranking by Smart Asset, in large part due to their high percentage of female Tech workers.

According to the report, female Tech workers now make up 41 percent of the Tech workforce in D.C., a significant departure from the nationwide percentage of just 26 percent of Tech jobs held by women.

3. Baltimore, MD | Index Score: 91.78

Following close behind is Baltimore where there has been a 4.2 percent increase in the number of Tech jobs held by women.

The city’s tech workforce has also grown remarkably in the past five years with more than 12,400 computer and mathematical jobs added.

4. Durham, NC | Index Score: 91.44

You might not immediately think of Durham when you think of Tech talent hotbeds, but that is exactly what it is for female Tech talent.

Tech startups are thriving in this affordable city and women benefit from tech industry growth of 30% over the last several years.

5. Chesapeake, VA | Index Score: 82.53

Chesapeake is one of the cities with the best environment for women in Tech overall. Pay is at 91% and getting closer every year, and Women make up 37.4% of its tech workforce – the fourth-largest in this Smart Asset study.

6. Aurora, CO | Index Score: 80.82

With a population of less than 400,000, Aurora may not look like it qualifies as a bustling tech “hub” at first glance.

But with the third-smallest pay gap in this study at 97 cents for every dollar men make, this city surrounded by the Rocky Mountains is quickly becoming one of the best places for pay equity for women in tech.

7. Houston, TX | Index Score: 80.14

Not only is Houston a notable Tech talent and startup hotbed, it also ranks in the top 10 due to the shrinking pay gap for women working in Tech at 94 cents for every dollar, and the 17% growth in the number of Tech jobs over the past few years.

8. Cincinnati, OH | Index Score: 78.08

Another surprising contender for the best cities for women in Tech, Cincinnati finds itself in the top 10 due to its shrinking pay gap of 95 cents to every dollar.

While this city did see a 21% growth in tech employment, it does lose a few points for lower income ranges on average compared to other cities listed.

9. Albuquerque, NM | Index Score: 77.05

Tied with Cincinnati for its smaller 5% gender pay gap, women in tech in Albuquerque make 95 cents to the dollar of their male counterparts. While this city has seen 13% employment growth in the tech sector, this growth is much slower and lower than others higher on the list.

10. Long Beach, CA | 76.37

While Long Beach falls at the bottom of this list, it’s ranked #1 in gender pay equity with women in tech making 1% more than their male counterparts. Combine that with 27% employment growth, and falling 10th on this list doesn’t seem so bad.