Labor force, female in United States
United States: Labor force, female was 79.77 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in United States, 1990–2025
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, female in United States is 79.77 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in United States peaked at 79.77 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 56.41 million, in 1990.
United States ranks 3rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 56.41 million | — |
| 1991 | 56.86 million | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 57.94 million | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 58.72 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 60.37 million | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 61.32 million | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 62.35 million | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 63.72 million | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 64.48 million | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 65.41 million | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 66.30 million | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 66.81 million | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 67.31 million | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 67.83 million | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 68.24 million | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 69.12 million | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 70.06 million | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 70.72 million | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 71.71 million | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 72.11 million | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 72.11 million | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 72.06 million | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 72.34 million | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 72.35 million | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 72.71 million | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 72.98 million | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 73.79 million | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 74.74 million | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 75.35 million | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 76.37 million | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 75.29 million | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 75.55 million | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 76.78 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 78.50 million | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 79.46 million | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 79.77 million | +0.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 79.77 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 million, 54.9× the median. (62 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 60.76 million | 56.41 million | 65.41 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.02 million | 66.30 million | 72.11 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.48 million | 72.06 million | 76.37 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.56 million | 75.29 million | 79.77 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More gender data for United States
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 57,835 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.4626 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 297,814 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 297,814 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.6312 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.79 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 1.88 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.80 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 1.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.83 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in United States?
- Labor force, female in United States was 79.77 million in 2025, according to World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 79.77 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.41 million in 1990.
- How does United States rank for labor force, female?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division, published as part of Labor force, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Female labor force comprises women ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.