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United States Value:
Percentage of the female civilian workforce that is unemployed
Additional Measures:
Appears In:
Percentage of the female civilian workforce that is unemployed
Percentage of the female civilian workforce that is unemployed
Percentage of the female civilian workforce that is unemployed
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Percentage of the female civilian workforce that is unemployed
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
US Value: 8.3%
Top State(s): Nebraska: 4.2%
Bottom State(s): Nevada: 13.2%
Definition: Percentage of the female civilian workforce that is unemployed
Data Source and Years: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.
A stable and well-paying job makes it possible for people to live in areas with access to healthy food, medical services and quality child care and education for their families, and to afford these things — all critical factors for maintaining good health. Unemployment is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality, especially among adults ages 18-24.
There is a strong relationship between employment status and mental health. Unemployment may lead to lower self-esteem, higher levels of depression and strained family ties. The effects of job loss are not limited to the individual: Studies have shown a profound effect on impacted spouses and children.
High unemployment rates increase the economic burden on states due to decreased revenue from income taxes and increased demand for unemployment insurance and social welfare programs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a large increase in the number of unemployed individuals in the United States, with notable impacts on women. Between February 2020 and February 2021, women disproportionately left the labor force, making up more than half of the total workforce loss despite comprising less than half of the workforce in the U.S.
Different strategies exist to reduce the unemployment rate, especially for women. Women are disproportionately burdened with caretaking for children and other family members, and the lack of affordable child care or supportive policies can make it difficult to maintain full-time or stable work to support those families. Decreasing the unemployment rate and increasing the number of working women requires serious investments in supportive care infrastructure, labor protections and equitable wages and benefits.
Healthy People 2030 tracks different measures of economic stability, including increasing employment among the working-age population ages 16-64.
Boesch, Diana, and Shilpa Phadke. “When Women Lose All the Jobs: Essential Actions for a Gender-Equitable Recovery.” Center for American Progress, February 1, 2021. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/women-lose-jobs-essential-actions-gender-equitable-recovery/.
Brand, Jennie E. “The Far-Reaching Impact of Job Loss and Unemployment.” Annual Review of Sociology 41, no. 1 (August 14, 2015): 359–75. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-071913-043237.
Davila, Evelyn P., Sharon L. Christ, Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, David J. Lee, Kristopher L. Arheart, William G. LeBlanc, Kathryn E. McCollister, et al. “Young Adults, Mortality, and Employment.” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 52, no. 5 (May 2010): 501–4. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181d5e371.
Dooley, David. “Unemployment, Underemployment, and Mental Health: Conceptualizing Employment Status as a Continuum.” American Journal of Community Psychology 32, no. 1–2 (2003): 9–20. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025634504740.
Dooley, David, Jonathan Fielding, and Lennart Levi. “Health and Unemployment.” Annual Review of Public Health 17, no. 1 (January 1996): 449–65. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.pu.17.050196.002313.
Lindner, Stephan, and H. Elizabeth Peters. “How Does Unemployment Affect Family Arrangements for Children?” Low-Income Working Families Paper 29. Urban Institute, August 2014. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/how-does-unemployment-affect-family-arrangements-children.
Nikolova, Milena, and Boris N. Nikolaev. “Family Matters: The Effects of Parental Unemployment in Early Childhood and Adolescence on Subjective Well-Being Later in Life.” Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 181 (May 26, 2018): 312–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2018.05.005.
Roelfs, David J., Eran Shor, Karina W. Davidson, and Joseph E. Schwartz. “Losing Life and Livelihood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Unemployment and All-Cause Mortality.” Social Science & Medicine 72, no. 6 (March 2011): 840–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.01.005.
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.