Figure A
Black women's employment-to-population ratio levels and gaps differ across the country and when compared with other women: Pandemic change in EPOPs for prime-age Black women and all other prime-age women by Census division
| State | Division | Black women EPOP by division (Mar 2019– Feb 2020) | Black women EPOP by division (Dec 2020– Nov 2021) | Black women change in EPOP | All other women EPOP by division (Mar 2019– Feb 2020) | All other women EPOP by division (Dec 2020– Nov 2021) | All other women change in EPOP | Division key |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | East South Central | 72.3% | 70.9% | -1.4% | 70.4% | 69.8% | -0.6% | 6 |
| Alaska | Pacific | 72.5% | 68.7% | -3.8% | 71.3% | 68.7% | -2.6% | 9 |
| Arizona | Mountain | 75.7% | 65.0% | -10.7% | 73.7% | 70.9% | -2.8% | 8 |
| Arkansas | West South Central | 74.5% | 71.3% | -3.2% | 69.2% | 68.0% | -1.2% | 7 |
| California | Pacific | 72.5% | 68.7% | -3.8% | 71.3% | 68.7% | -2.6% | 9 |
| Colorado | Mountain | 75.7% | 65.0% | -10.7% | 73.7% | 70.9% | -2.8% | 8 |
| Connecticut | New England | 79.6% | 73.2% | -6.4% | 79.1% | 76.7% | -2.4% | 1 |
| Delaware | South Atlantic | 76.3% | 73.7% | -2.6% | 73.8% | 71.3% | -2.5% | 5 |
| Washington D.C. | South Atlantic | 76.3% | 73.7% | -2.6% | 73.8% | 71.3% | -2.5% | 5 |
| Florida | South Atlantic | 76.3% | 73.7% | -2.6% | 73.8% | 71.3% | -2.5% | 5 |
| Georgia | South Atlantic | 76.3% | 73.7% | -2.6% | 73.8% | 71.3% | -2.5% | 5 |
| Hawaii | Pacific | 72.5% | 68.7% | -3.8% | 71.3% | 68.7% | -2.6% | 9 |
| Idaho | Mountain | 75.7% | 65.0% | -10.7% | 73.7% | 70.9% | -2.8% | 8 |
| Illinois | East North Central | 73.9% | 69.0% | -4.9% | 75.8% | 73.9% | -2.0% | 3 |
| Indiana | East North Central | 73.9% | 69.0% | -4.9% | 75.8% | 73.9% | -2.0% | 3 |
| Iowa | West North Central | 77.6% | 74.1% | -3.5% | 80.9% | 79.0% | -1.9% | 4 |
| Kansas | West North Central | 77.6% | 74.1% | -3.5% | 80.9% | 79.0% | -1.9% | 4 |
| Kentucky | East South Central | 72.3% | 70.9% | -1.4% | 70.4% | 69.8% | -0.6% | 6 |
| Louisiana | West South Central | 74.5% | 71.3% | -3.2% | 69.2% | 68.0% | -1.2% | 7 |
| Maine | New England | 79.6% | 73.2% | -6.4% | 79.1% | 76.7% | -2.4% | 1 |
| Maryland | South Atlantic | 76.3% | 73.7% | -2.6% | 73.8% | 71.3% | -2.5% | 5 |
| Massachusetts | New England | 79.6% | 73.2% | -6.4% | 79.1% | 76.7% | -2.4% | 1 |
| Michigan | East North Central | 73.9% | 69.0% | -4.9% | 75.8% | 73.9% | -2.0% | 3 |
| Minnesota | West North Central | 77.6% | 74.1% | -3.5% | 80.9% | 79.0% | -1.9% | 4 |
| Mississippi | East South Central | 72.3% | 70.9% | -1.4% | 70.4% | 69.8% | -0.6% | 6 |
| Missouri | West North Central | 77.6% | 74.1% | -3.5% | 80.9% | 79.0% | -1.9% | 4 |
| Montana | Mountain | 75.7% | 65.0% | -10.7% | 73.7% | 70.9% | -2.8% | 8 |
| Nebraska | West North Central | 77.6% | 74.1% | -3.5% | 80.9% | 79.0% | -1.9% | 4 |
| Nevada | Mountain | 75.7% | 65.0% | -10.7% | 73.7% | 70.9% | -2.8% | 8 |
| New Hampshire | New England | 79.6% | 73.2% | -6.4% | 79.1% | 76.7% | -2.4% | 1 |
| New Jersey | Middle Atlantic | 74.4% | 70.9% | -3.5% | 74.5% | 71.5% | -3.0% | 2 |
| New Mexico | Mountain | 75.7% | 65.0% | -10.7% | 73.7% | 70.9% | -2.8% | 8 |
| New York | Middle Atlantic | 74.4% | 70.9% | -3.5% | 74.5% | 71.5% | -3.0% | 2 |
| North Carolina | South Atlantic | 76.3% | 73.7% | -2.6% | 73.8% | 71.3% | -2.5% | 5 |
| North Dakota | West North Central | 77.6% | 74.1% | -3.5% | 80.9% | 79.0% | -1.9% | 4 |
| Ohio | East North Central | 73.9% | 69.0% | -4.9% | 75.8% | 73.9% | -2.0% | 3 |
| Oklahoma | West South Central | 74.5% | 71.3% | -3.2% | 69.2% | 68.0% | -1.2% | 7 |
| Oregon | Pacific | 72.5% | 68.7% | -3.8% | 71.3% | 68.7% | -2.6% | 9 |
| Pennsylvania | Middle Atlantic | 74.4% | 70.9% | -3.5% | 74.5% | 71.5% | -3.0% | 2 |
| Rhode Island | New England | 79.6% | 73.2% | -6.4% | 79.1% | 76.7% | -2.4% | 1 |
| South Carolina | South Atlantic | 76.3% | 73.7% | -2.6% | 73.8% | 71.3% | -2.5% | 5 |
| South Dakota | West North Central | 77.6% | 74.1% | -3.5% | 80.9% | 79.0% | -1.9% | 4 |
| Tennessee | East South Central | 72.3% | 70.9% | -1.4% | 70.4% | 69.8% | -0.6% | 6 |
| Texas | West South Central | 74.5% | 71.3% | -3.2% | 69.2% | 68.0% | -1.2% | 7 |
| Utah | Mountain | 75.7% | 65.0% | -10.7% | 73.7% | 70.9% | -2.8% | 8 |
| Vermont | New England | 79.6% | 73.2% | -6.4% | 79.1% | 76.7% | -2.4% | 1 |
| Virginia | South Atlantic | 76.3% | 73.7% | -2.6% | 73.8% | 71.3% | -2.5% | 5 |
| Washington | Pacific | 72.5% | 68.7% | -3.8% | 71.3% | 68.7% | -2.6% | 9 |
| West Virginia | South Atlantic | 76.3% | 73.7% | -2.6% | 73.8% | 71.3% | -2.5% | 5 |
| Wisconsin | East North Central | 73.9% | 69.0% | -4.9% | 75.8% | 73.9% | -2.0% | 3 |
| Wyoming | Mountain | 75.7% | 65.0% | -10.7% | 73.7% | 70.9% | -2.8% | 8 |
Note: The figures refer to prime-age women only (ages 25–54). The statistics for all other women exclude Black women. To address seasonality and sample size concerns, we compare data for one full year before the pandemic shutdowns began in the U.S. (March 2019–February 2020) with the past full year of available data (December 2020–November 2021).
Source: Economic Policy Institute (EPI) analysis of Current Population Survey basic monthly microdata, EPI Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 1.0.24 (2021), https://microdata.epi.org.
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- Black women EPOP
- An economic recovery for whom?: Black women’s employment gaps show important differences in recovery rates
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