Female employment to population ratio in United States
United States: Female employment to population ratio was 54.88 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
54.88
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
64th
of 172 countries
All-time high
57.48
in 2000
All-time low
35.4
in 1961
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Female employment to population ratio in United States, 1960–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, female employment to population ratio in United States stood at 54.88.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and up 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment to population ratio in United States peaked at 57.48 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 35.4, in 1961.
That places United States 64th out of 172 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Female employment to population ratio in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 35.5 | — |
| 1961 | 35.4 | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 35.6 | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 35.8 | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 36.3 | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 37.1 | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 38.3 | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 39 | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 39.6 | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 40.7 | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 40.8 | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 40.4 | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 41 | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 42 | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 42.6 | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 42 | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 43.2 | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 44.5 | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 46.4 | +4.3% |
| 1979 | 47.5 | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 47.7 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 48 | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 47.7 | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 48 | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 49.5 | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 50.4 | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 51.4 | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 52.5 | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 53.4 | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 54.3 | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 54.3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 53.7 | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 53.8 | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 54.1 | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 55.3 | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 55.7 | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 56.1 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 56.86 | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 57.08 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 57.43 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 57.48 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 57.01 | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 56.27 | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 56.13 | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 55.97 | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 56.23 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 56.62 | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 56.64 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 56.25 | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 54.42 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 53.57 | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 53.19 | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 53.13 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 53.16 | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 53.52 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 53.74 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 54.08 | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 54.58 | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 54.89 | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 55.36 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 51.51 | -6.9% |
| 2021 | 53.17 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 54.74 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 55.35 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 55.24 | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 54.88 | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 37.33 | 35.4 | 40.7 | 10 |
| 1970s | 43.04 | 40.4 | 47.5 | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.29 | 47.7 | 54.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.44 | 53.7 | 57.43 | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.3 | 54.42 | 57.48 | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.92 | 53.13 | 55.36 | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.15 | 51.51 | 55.35 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More work & labour data for United States
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 113,208 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 61.24 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 178,849 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 58.55 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.27 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.3372 % change on previous year (2027)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
- Criminal penalties or civil remedies sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 61.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment to population ratio in United States?
- Female employment to population ratio in United States was 54.88 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment to population ratio recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 57.48 in 2000.
- What is the lowest female employment to population ratio recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.4 in 1961.
- How does United States rank for female employment to population ratio?
- United States ranks 64th out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment to population ratio rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment to population ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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