Figure I
The decline in marriage led to increases in participation among women in contrast to men: Decomposition of labor force participation rate, by gender and marital status (married vs. unmarried), 1979–2024
| Ppt. change in share (between group) | Ppt. change in LFPR (within group) | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 2.8 | 12.6 |
| Men | -2.2 | -2.8 |
Notes: The between-group estimates explain how much of the change in me'sn and women's labor force participation rates can be explained by changes in the marital status groups shares. The within-group estimates explain how much of the change in men's and women's labor force participation can be explain by changes in demographic groups.
Source: EPI analysis of the Current Population Survey (CPS) basic monthly microdata, EPI Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 2025.6.11, https://microdata.epi.org.
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