Best countries for women to work and live in 2025
- Denmark leads the list of the best countries for women to work and live in 2025, with the longest maternity leave and high gender equality.
- In second place is Finland, with the highest gender equality index.
- Belgium stands out with the smallest gender wage gap at 0.7%.
Recent data shows that countries investing in childcare infrastructure saw a 12% increase in female workforce participation over the last year, demonstrating the economic impact of gender-inclusive policies. A recent study by CasinooftheKings analyzed gender-related economic and social indicators across 17 countries to rank them based on how favorable they are for women to work and live in 2025.
The dataset includes ten key indicators: share of women who are entrepreneurs, women in managerial roles, gender gap in managerial positions, employment gap, gender wage gap (median), bank account ownership, attitudes toward working mothers, average maternal leave length, gender equality index, and feeling of insecurity at night. Data for this study is sourced from Eurostat, OECD, the International Labour Organization, and the European Institute for Gender Equality.
Here is the summary of the findings:
| Country | Share of Women Who Are Entrepreneurs | Gender Gap in Managerial Positions | Employment Gap | Gender Wage Gap (Median, %) | Average Maternal Leave Length | Gender Equality Index | Women’s life score (%) |
| Denmark | 1.62 | 27.9 | 6.5 | 12.4 | 18 | 0.789 | 83 |
| Finland | 1.92 | 37.5 | 1.5 | 16.1 | 14 | 0.875 | 80 |
| Sweden | 1.44 | 42.3 | 5.5 | 7.3 | 12 | 0.816 | 79 |
| Belgium | 2.03 | 34.5 | 8.5 | 0.7 | 15 | 0.793 | 76 |
| France | 2.15 | 35.5 | 7 | 22.2 | 16 | 0.781 | 75 |
| Estonia | 2.06 | 37.4 | 4.5 | 13.1 | 14 | 0.774 | 74 |
| Portugal | 3.00 | 35.6 | 5 | 10.1 | 17 | 0.787 | 73 |
| Slovenia | 1.86 | 40.1 | 7.5 | 9.2 | 15 | 0.766 | 72 |
| Austria | 2.46 | 32.8 | 10.5 | 12 | 16 | 0.743 | 70 |
| Spain | 3.07 | 35 | 10 | 6.2 | 16 | 0.797 | 69 |
You can access the full research findings by following this link.
The best country for women to work and live in 2025 is Denmark, with a life score of 83, reflecting smaller gaps in employment and high gender equality. The country offers the longest maternity leave in the ranking, with 18 months, and has a high gender equality index of 0.78. Denmark also has the smallest gender gap in managerial positions, with 27.9%.
In second place is Finland, with a life score of 80. The country has more female entrepreneurs than Denmark, with 1.9%, and the smallest employment gap in the ranking, at 1.5%. Finland also scores higher on the gender equality index, but trails behind in maternal leave availability and gender wage gap.
Sweden ranks 3rd on the list of the best countries for women to work and live in 2025, scoring 79. The country has the widest gender gap in managerial positions in the top 10, with 42.3%, but positively stands out with a small wage gap of 7.3% and a full year of maternity leave.
Belgium holds fourth position, with a life score of 76. The country has the smallest wage gap at 0.7%, 17 times smaller than in Denmark. Belgium also has many female entrepreneurs, at 2%, more than in Sweden or Finland.
France follows closely with fifth place and a score of 75. The country has an impressive maternal leave of 16 months, as well as the third-highest rate of businesswomen, with 2.15%. The employment gap in France is a little larger than in Sweden or Finland, currently at 7%.
Estonia ranks sixth, scoring 74. The employment gap in Estonia is smaller than in France or Belgium, only at 4.5%, and the wage gap amounts to 13.1%. The country also provides a longer maternity leave, up to 14 months.
In seventh place is Portugal, getting a life score of 73. The country stands out with the second-longest maternity leave in the ranking at 17 months, and the second-most female entrepreneurs, with 3%.
Slovenia follows Portugal closely, earning eighth place and a score of 72. While the gender gap for managerial jobs is one of the highest in the top 10, Slovenia offers a longer maternity leave of 15 months and has a lower wage gap of 9.2%.
Austria is ninth, with a score of 70. Similar to France, Austria provides a 16-month maternity leave, but has a wider employment gap of 10.5%. The wage gap in Austria currently amounts to 12%.
Spain closes the ranking of the best countries for women to work and live in 2025, with tenth place and a score of 69. The maternity leave here is the same as in Austria, while the wage gap is smaller at 6.2%․ Spain also stands out with the highest rate of female entrepreneurs on the list, with 3.07%.
A spokesperson from CasinooftheKings commented on the study: “The Nordic countries continue to dominate global rankings for gender equality in the workplace, demonstrating that comprehensive social policies can create environments where women thrive professionally. These results highlight how structural supports like parental leave and wage transparency translate to measurable differences in women’s lives, providing a blueprint for other nations seeking to improve gender equality.”