The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has unveiled new state-by-state equal-pay rankings with the release of The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap. Updated with new census data, The Simple Truth is a commonsense guide breaking down the latest statistics into straightforward facts.

The guide shows that while women working full time continue to earn less than their male peers do in every state, the wage gap is narrowest in Washington, DC, where women earn 90 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn. The wage gap is widest in Wyoming, where women make 67 percent of what men make.

The Simple Truth doesn't address why some states are better than others when it comes to equal pay, but generally speaking, the disparities are related to the business climate, the kinds of industries in each state, and demographic factors, according to an AAUW press release. Nationally, median earnings for women are just 77 percent of men's—a pay gap that hasn't budged for the past 10 years, says the release, adding that the wage gap costs working women and their families tens of thousands of dollars in lost wages every year and directly affects women's retirement security.

AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE, says that "next year, we'll mark the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act. Too many Americans think that the landmark legislation took care of the problem. Unfortunately, it has not."

And this fall, AAUW will release new research on the pay gap that women face just 1 year after college graduation. "This research is especially needed now. The economic status of women has been a topic of much debate and discussion," said AAUW Director of Research Catherine Hill. "While women have certainly made strides, the data truly show that women still have a ways to go."