Woman Employment Reaches New Hight: KS and MO’s Woman-to-Men Workforce Gap Varies

Posted July 31, 2023

Women’s employment in the United States has reached a new record, according to a Stateline analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. 

In June, the labor force participation rate for women in their prime working age, between 25 and 54, increased to 75.3 percent. That is the highest recorded percentage since the Census Bureau began reporting the numbers in 1948, according to the analysis. 

Women in their prime working age who are working or looking for work reached 77.8 percent in June, the third consecutive month above the previous record of 77.3 percent from 2000.

Kansas’ share of prime-age women with jobs in 2022 reached 77.8 percent compared to the 89.8 percent of men working in the state, a difference of 12 percent. While this gap is notable, it is by no means the largest gap held in the U.S.

However, Missouri’s population of women is indeed taking on more work. Missouri’s share of prime-age women with jobs in 2022 reached a solid 81 percent compared to 88.3 percent of mens workforce. A less deafening gap of 7.3 percent.

For context, the share of women ages 25-54 with jobs ranged from the lowest 64.1 percent in West Virginia to the highest rate of 83.9 percent in Nebraska as of March 2022, according to the analysis. 

View the full Stateline analysis, here.