Female workers in Richmond may earn, on average, less than men do but they still make more than their sisters in Hampton Roads, according to a study by Old Dominion University.

In 21 of 26 fields, such as legal assistants and farmers, women in the Tidewater area fared worse than their counterparts in Richmond, according to a report of the ODU State of the Region study reported by The Virginian-Pilot.

One reason could be that more women in the Tidewater area are “trailing” spouses who follow their military husbands from duty post to duty post. In Richmond, there are more corporate offices and perhaps a more stability work environment. ODU says that cost of living isn’t a factor because the rates are comparable in both areas.

All in all, however, there isn’t much to cheer about. Nationally, women make about 80 percent less than men for the same type of job. Last year, the comparison rate was 67 percent less than what men make, according to a study by the American Association of University Women.