Women’s History Month 2026: What Census Data Showed About Women and Work
For Women’s History Month 2026, the U.S. Census Bureau published statistics on women in the United States, including population, labor force participation, earnings, education, and occupations.
The Census Bureau’s Women’s History Month: March 2026 Facts for Features page was published on February 25, 2026.
Here are several of the workforce-related figures in plain English.
How many women were in the U.S. population?
The Census Bureau reported that there were approximately 172 million women in the United States as of July 1, 2024.
For comparison, there were about 168 million men as of the same date.
These figures come from the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2024 Population Estimates.
How many women participated in the labor force?
In 2024, 83.7 million women age 16 and older participated in the civilian labor force.
That represented 59.5% of women in that age group, according to the Census Bureau.
The figure comes from the 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates.
What did Census report about women’s earnings?
The Census Bureau reported that women’s median earnings were 80.9% of men’s median earnings among full-time, year-round workers age 15 and older in 2024.
This figure comes from the 2024 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement.
The Census Bureau presents the statistic as a comparison of women’s and men’s median earnings. The figure itself does not explain the reasons for the difference.
What other workforce information did Census highlight?
The Census Bureau’s Women’s History Month collection also provides links to data on:
Women in selected occupations
Women veterans
Women enrolled in undergraduate and graduate schools
Women who earned degrees
Women-owned employer businesses
These resources are part of the Census Bureau’s broader collection of statistics highlighted for Women’s History Month.
What does the Census data show?
The Census Bureau’s 2026 Women’s History Month collection brings together statistics from several federal surveys and programs.
Among the figures highlighted were:
Approximately 172 million women in the United States in 2024
83.7 million women age 16 and older participating in the civilian labor force
A 59.5% labor force participation rate among women age 16 and older
Women’s median earnings at 80.9% of men’s median earnings among full-time, year-round workers age 15 and older
These statistics describe different aspects of the U.S. population and workforce. The figures referenced here describe 2024, even though the Census Bureau collection was published in 2026.
From Workforce Data to Employment Opportunity
The Census Bureau provides national data on women’s participation in the labor force, earnings, occupations, education, and other characteristics.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is Women’s History Month?
Women’s History Month is observed in March.
The Census Bureau notes that Congress designated the second week of March as Women’s History Week in 1981. Six years later, the observance was expanded to a month.
How many women participated in the U.S. labor force in 2024?
The Census Bureau reported 83.7 million women age 16 and older participating in the civilian labor force in 2024.
What was the labor force participation rate for women?
The Census Bureau reported that 59.5% of women age 16 and older participated in the civilian labor force in 2024.
What did Census report about women’s earnings?
For full-time, year-round workers age 15 and older in 2024, women’s median earnings were 80.9% of men’s median earnings.
Source Note
The Census Bureau notes that its Facts for Features data come from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.
This article summarizes selected statistics from the Census Bureau’s Women’s History Month collection and does not attempt to explain the causes behind differences in workforce outcomes.
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Black History Month 2026: What Census Data Showed About Population, Education and Work
Foreign-Born Workers in the U.S.: What the 2025 BLS Data Shows
Sources & References
U.S. Census Bureau. (2026, February 25). Women’s History Month: March 2026. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2026/womens-history-month.html
