The Status of Women In Tennessee

There have been great advances in the economic status of women over the last 50 years. Women have gained greater access to education, career, earnings, and political participation. Women are pursuing goals that generations of women before could never have realized, such as business ownership, leadership roles in their careers, and election to state and federal political offices. However, obstacles still exist in the climb toward equality. Despite the great strides that women have made in the last 50 years, women have yet to achieve true equality with men. Women continue to earn less, to be less educated, to have higher rates of poverty, and to be less represented in political office than men.


Overall, women’s economic status is highest in metropolitan counties surrounding Nashville. Cheatham County ranks in the top ten in six of the thirteen indicators and never appears in the bottom half of any indicator. Women in Wilson and Sumner Counties also fared well, both ranking in the top twenty of ten indicators. 11 of the 13 counties within the Greater Nashville Development District rank in the top third of women’s economic status.

Women’s economic status is lowest in Grundy County, which ranks in the bottom ten in eight of thirteen indicators and only appears in the top half of indicators three times. Hardin County never appears in the top third of any indicator. In the Memphis Area Development District, Lauderdale County women rank 91st while their female counterparts in Shelby, Tipton and Fayette Counties never rank below the top half.

View the entire report, including a county by county break down here.