Closing The Gap

These are the top 10 cities for women in tech in 2019

Share
Two women working on a computer.
Twenty20

The tech industry has long been under fire for not only its lack of diversity in staffing and leadership, but also for its lack of pay equity for women. 

According to data from the Census Bureau, women in tech earn 84 percent of what their male counterparts make. A  study released last year by software platform Carta found that men own 91 percent of employee and founder equity in Silicon Valley, leaving women with a measly 9 percent.

But certain places are friendlier to women working in tech than others are. 

To get a clear idea of which U.S. cities are striving to provide equal opportunities for women in tech, personal finance company SmartAsset created the list of the Best Cities for Women in Tech in 2019. Using information from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, SmartAsset examined data for cities that have 200,000 residents or more. Then, it ranked each city based off four factors: gender pay gap in the tech industry, income after housing costs, percent of women who make up the tech workforce and the percent change in employment growth from 2014 to 2017.

Similar to last year's ranking, Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Maryland; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania continue to land in the top five. Cities more traditionally associated with tech, like San Francisco San Jose, California, ranked in the middle of the pack at No. 28 and No. 29, respectively, due to the gender pay gap.

Take a look below to see which cities provide the best opportunities for women in tech to thrive:

Scholaroo ranked Minnesota as the best state in the U.S. for millennials.
Walter Bibikow | Getty Images

10. St. Paul, Minnesota

Gender pay gap: 90 percent

Income after housing costs: $48,977

Percent of women in tech jobs: 27.7 percent

Tech employment growth: 18 percent

9. Long Beach, California

Gender pay gap: 115 percent

Income after housing costs: $60,759

Percent of women in tech jobs: 22.3 percent

Tech employment growth: 21 percent

8. Durham, North Carolina

Gender pay gap: 88 percent

Income after housing costs: $60,077

Percent of women in tech jobs: 28.7 percent

Tech employment growth: 8 percent

Twenty20

7. Kansas City, Missouri

Gender pay gap: 89 percent

Income after housing costs: $51,022

Percent of women in tech jobs: 29 percent

Tech employment growth: 24 percent

6. Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gender pay gap: 95 percent

Income after housing costs: $54,269

Percent of women in tech jobs: 29.7 percent

Tech employment growth: - 1 percent

5. Arlington, Virgina

Gender pay gap: 87 percent

Income after housing costs: $60,581

Percent of women in tech jobs: 33.3 percent

Tech employment growth: 12 percent

Houston, Texas
Tim Leviston | EyeEm | Getty Images

4. Houston, Texas

Gender pay gap: 99 percent

Income after housing costs: $60,646

Percent of women in tech jobs: 26 percent

Tech employment growth: 19 percent

3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Gender pay gap: 97 percent

Income after housing costs: $52,383

Percent of women in tech jobs: 30.2 percent

Tech employment growth: 21 percent

2. Baltimore, Maryland

Gender pay gap: 93 percent

Income after housing costs: $58,383

Percent of women in tech jobs: 31.1 percent

Tech employment growth: 28 percent

1. Washington, D.C.

Gender pay gap: 95 percent

Income after housing costs: $58,486

Percent of women in tech jobs: 38.9 percent

Tech employment growth: 24 percent

Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube!

Don't miss: A new report highlights Silicon Valley's stunning gender equity gap

Best places for working women
VIDEO1:1201:12
Best places for working women