Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United States
United States: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 80.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
80.2%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
69th
of 236 countries
All-time high
80.7%
in 2010
All-time low
64.0%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United States, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United States is 80.2%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United States peaked at 80.7% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 64.0%, in 1950.
That places United States 69th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 64.0% | — |
| 1951 | 64.6% | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 65.3% | +1.0% |
| 1953 | 66.0% | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 66.6% | +1.0% |
| 1955 | 67.3% | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 67.9% | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 68.5% | +0.9% |
| 1958 | 69.0% | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 69.5% | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 70.0% | +0.7% |
| 1961 | 70.4% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 70.9% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 71.4% | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 71.9% | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 72.3% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 72.7% | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 73.0% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 73.2% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 73.4% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 73.5% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 73.5% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 73.7% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 73.7% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 73.7% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 73.9% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 74.0% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 74.2% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 74.3% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 74.5% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 74.7% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 74.8% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 75.1% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 75.3% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 75.5% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 75.9% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 76.3% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 76.7% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 77.2% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 77.7% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 78.1% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 78.5% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 78.8% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 79.1% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 79.3% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 79.5% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 79.8% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 80.0% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 80.2% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 80.4% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 80.5% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 80.6% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 80.7% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 80.7% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 80.6% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 80.6% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 80.5% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 80.4% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 80.3% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 80.1% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 80.0% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 80.1% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 80.2% | +0.1% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 80.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 99% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 66.9% | 64.0% | 69.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 71.9% | 70.0% | 73.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 73.6% | 73.5% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.3% | 73.8% | 75.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.0% | 75.3% | 78.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.0% | 79.1% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.5% | 80.1% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.1% | 80.0% | 80.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 66 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 81.1% compare
- 67 Spain 80.5% compare
- 68 American Samoa 80.5% compare
- 70 Mexico 80.0% compare
- 71 Costa Rica 79.7% compare
- 72 Belarus 79.5% compare
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)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.4 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.05 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 159,991 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 141,322 (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United States?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in United States was 80.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 80.7% in 2010.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.0% in 1950.
- How does United States rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- United States ranks 69th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.