COLUMBUS – A new report on the well-being of women in Ohio shows some stark differences between counties in certain areas, such as income and health.
The Status of Women, from the Center for Community Solutions, compiled data from Ohio’s 88 counties on women in key areas of life, including health, economic status and educational attainment.
“Looking at education attainment, women are doing well compared to men, but there are some counties that still have a hard time graduating women from high school. Or looking at the gender wage ratio – there’s a range there from 50 to 60 cents on the dollar to 80 to 90 cents on the dollar,” said Melissa Federman, Truehaft Chair of Health Planning at the center.
The highest median earned income among Ohio women is roughly $56,000 in Delaware County. In Franklin County, it is a little over $42,000 and nearly 20 percent of the women of child-bearing age in Franklin County live in poverty.
Women of child-bearing age are the demographic most likely to live in poverty, according to the study.
Federman notes major disparities by county in the diagnosis of late-stage cervical cancer, women in STEM careers, and teen birth rates.
The study also found that fewer than one-third of elected officials in Ohio are women, nearly 20 counties don’t have community health centers.