January 05, 2011
Women in the labor force, 1970–2009
Employment status of women 16 years and over, 1970–2009
| Year |
Civilian
noninstitutional
population |
Civilian labor force |
Not in labor force |
| Total |
Employed |
Unemployed |
1970 |
72,782,000 |
31,543,000 |
29,688,000 |
1,855,000 |
41,239,000 |
1971 |
74,274,000 |
32,202,000 |
29,976,000 |
2,227,000 |
42,072,000 |
1972 |
76,290,000 |
33,479,000 |
31,257,000 |
2,222,000 |
42,811,000 |
1973 |
77,804,000 |
34,804,000 |
32,715,000 |
2,089,000 |
43,000,000 |
1974 |
79,312,000 |
36,211,000 |
33,769,000 |
2,441,000 |
43,101,000 |
1975 |
80,860,000 |
37,475,000 |
33,989,000 |
3,486,000 |
43,386,000 |
1976 |
82,390,000 |
38,983,000 |
35,615,000 |
3,369,000 |
43,406,000 |
1977 |
83,840,000 |
40,613,000 |
37,289,000 |
3,324,000 |
43,227,000 |
1978 |
85,334,000 |
42,631,000 |
39,569,000 |
3,061,000 |
42,703,000 |
1979 |
86,843,000 |
44,235,000 |
41,217,000 |
3,018,000 |
42,608,000 |
1980 |
88,348,000 |
45,487,000 |
42,117,000 |
3,370,000 |
42,861,000 |
1981 |
89,618,000 |
46,696,000 |
43,000,000 |
3,696,000 |
42,922,000 |
1982 |
90,748,000 |
47,755,000 |
43,256,000 |
4,499,000 |
42,993,000 |
1983 |
91,684,000 |
48,503,000 |
44,047,000 |
4,457,000 |
43,181,000 |
1984 |
92,778,000 |
49,709,000 |
45,915,000 |
3,794,000 |
43,068,000 |
1985 |
93,736,000 |
51,050,000 |
47,259,000 |
3,791,000 |
42,686,000 |
1986 |
94,789,000 |
52,413,000 |
48,706,000 |
3,707,000 |
42,376,000 |
1987 |
95,853,000 |
53,658,000 |
50,334,000 |
3,324,000 |
42,195,000 |
1988 |
96,756,000 |
54,742,000 |
51,696,000 |
3,046,000 |
42,014,000 |
1989 |
97,630,000 |
56,030,000 |
53,027,000 |
3,003,000 |
41,601,000 |
1990 |
98,787,000 |
56,829,000 |
53,689,000 |
3,140,000 |
41,957,000 |
1991 |
99,646,000 |
57,178,000 |
53,496,000 |
3,683,000 |
42,468,000 |
1992 |
100,535,000 |
58,141,000 |
54,052,000 |
4,090,000 |
42,394,000 |
1993 |
101,506,000 |
58,795,000 |
54,910,000 |
3,885,000 |
42,711,000 |
1994 |
102,460,000 |
60,239,000 |
56,610,000 |
3,629,000 |
42,221,000 |
1995 |
103,406,000 |
60,944,000 |
57,523,000 |
3,421,000 |
42,462,000 |
1996 |
104,385,000 |
61,857,000 |
58,501,000 |
3,356,000 |
42,528,000 |
1997 |
105,418,000 |
63,036,000 |
59,873,000 |
3,162,000 |
42,382,000 |
1998 |
106,462,000 |
63,714,000 |
60,771,000 |
2,944,000 |
42,748,000 |
1999 |
108,031,000 |
64,855,000 |
62,042,000 |
2,814,000 |
43,175,000 |
2000 |
110,613,000 |
66,303,000 |
63,586,000 |
2,717,000 |
44,310,000 |
2001 |
111,811,000 |
66,848,000 |
63,737,000 |
3,111,000 |
44,962,000 |
2002 |
112,985,000 |
67,363,000 |
63,582,000 |
3,781,000 |
45,621,000 |
2003 |
114,733,000 |
68,272,000 |
64,404,000 |
3,868,000 |
46,461,000 |
2004 |
115,647,000 |
68,421,000 |
64,728,000 |
3,694,000 |
47,225,000 |
2005 |
116,931,000 |
69,288,000 |
65,757,000 |
3,531,000 |
47,643,000 |
2006 |
118,210,000 |
70,173,000 |
66,925,000 |
3,247,000 |
48,037,000 |
2007 |
119,694,000 |
70,988,000 |
67,792,000 |
3,196,000 |
48,707,000 |
2008 |
120,675,000 |
71,767,000 |
67,876,000 |
3,891,000 |
48,908,000 |
2009 |
121,665,000 |
72,019,000 |
66,208,000 |
5,811,000 |
49,646,000 |
These data featured in the TED article, Women in the labor force, 1970–2009.
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