In 2024, the wage gap between men and women continues to persist, with women earning less than men. However, Houston fares better compared to other cities in Texas, as revealed by a recent earnings study conducted by the Chamber of Commerce.
According to the study, Houston ranks at No. 142 out of 170 of the most populous cities in the United States, in terms of earnings for full-time workers. Currently, men in Houston earn $4,474 more than women, which is significantly lower than the national wage gap of over $11,000.
Surprisingly, the city with the highest gender pay gap in the United States is Frisco, a suburb of Dallas. Men in Frisco earn a staggering $52,216 more than women, which is an increase of over $12,000 compared to the previous year.
In North Texas, McKinney maintains its position as the fifth-worst city for gender pay gap for the second consecutive year. Men in McKinney earn $24,568 more than women, although this represents a decrease of $4,400 compared to the previous year. On the other hand, Plano’s gender wage gap has worsened since 2023, now ranking among the top 10 worst pay gaps in the country at No. 6. The study reveals that Plano’s wage gap is now $23,415, which is nearly $2,300 higher than the previous year.
The Chamber of Commerce study also highlights that the gender pay gap in Texas has increased since last year. In 2023, women in Texas earned nearly $11,000 less than men, and this gap has widened to nearly $12,000 in 2024. However, Texas has seen a slight improvement in its ranking, moving up 10 spots from No. 29 to No. 19 this year.
For comparison, New Hampshire has the highest gender pay gap in the nation, with men earning over $18,000 more than women.
The report also includes other Texas cities that made the list:
No. 20 – Amarillo
No. 22 – Laredo
No. 24 – Austin
No. 30 – Corpus Christi
No. 31 – Pasadena
No. 33 – Irving
No. 52 – Lubbock
No. 59 – El Paso
No. 65 – Grand Prairie
No. 81 – Fort Worth
No. 118 – Dallas
No. 121 – San Antonio
No. 125 – Arlington
No. 167 – Brownsville
No. 168 – Garland
