The Status of Women in the South builds on IWPR’s long-standing analyses and reports, The Status of Women in the States, that have provided data on the status of women nationally and for all 50 states plus the District of Columbia since 1996. The Status of Women in the South uses data from U.S. government and other sources to analyze women’s status in the southern United States, including Alabama, Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Florida Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. States are ranked and graded on a set of indicators for six topical areas and, whenever possible, data is disaggregated by race and ethnicity to allow closer examination of the status of women of color in the South. Like all Status of Women in the States reports, The Status of Women in the South can be used to highlight women’s progress and the obstacles they continue to face and to encourage policy and programmatic changes that can improve women’s opportunities. This report is funded by the Ford Foundation, the American Federation of Teachers, and the Women’s Funding Network. Additional funding was provided by a variety of state and national partners. With advice and guidance from the Status of Women in the South Advisory Committee, this report has been informed by The Status of Women in the States: 2015, which also benefited from the expertise of its National Advisory Committee.