Explore national- and state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures, including background information about each measure. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share content.
How to use this page
United States Value:
Percentage of population that is female, ages 18-44
Additional Measures:
Explore Population Data:
Appears In:
Percentage of population that is female, ages 18-44
Percentage of population that is female, ages 18-44
Percentage of population that is female, ages 18-44
U.S. Census Bureau
Percentage of population that is female, ages 18-44
U.S. Census Bureau
US Value: 17.7%
Top State(s): Utah: 19.5%
Bottom State(s): Maine: 15.7%
Definition: Percentage of population that is female, ages 18-44
Data Source and Years: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.
Women of reproductive age represent 17.7% of the total population in the United States, more than 58.4 million individuals. Between 1980 and 2017, the number of women ages 25-44 increased by 35%.
Working women, who represent a substantial portion of the U.S. labor force, were hit especially hard by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of the 4.2 million Americans who left the labor force in the first year of the pandemic were women. In particular, Hispanic and Black women in particular faced a sharper decline in employment than other women during this period. Because 2 out of 3 caregivers are women, the pandemic has added additional stress to many women’s lives. Caregivers are at higher risk for depression, anxiety and poor physical health.
Women ages 18-44 have specific health concerns, which include:
Some health conditions are more common among women than men. For example, the prevalence of depression is higher among women than men, due in part to puberty-, pregnancy-, menstruation- and menopause-related conditions and hormonal changes.
Racial/ethnic minority women face even more severe health disparities. For example, Black women experience exponentially higher rates of maternal mortality and a higher prevalence of several chronic diseases associated with maternal morbidity, including cardiovascular disease, obesity and anemia.
Albert, Paul R. “Why Is Depression More Prevalent in Women?” Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience 40, no. 4 (July 2015): 219–21. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.150205.
Brody, Debra J., Laura A. Pratt, and Jeffery P. Hughes. “Prevalence of Depression Among Adults Aged 20 and Over: United States, 2013–2016.” NCHS Data Brief No. 303. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, February 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db303.htm.
Chinn, Juanita J., Iman K. Martin, and Nicole Redmond. “Health Equity Among Black Women in the United States.” Journal of Women’s Health 30, no. 2 (February 1, 2021): 212–19. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2020.8868.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.