Table 7. Employment status of women by presence and age of youngest child, March 1975-2008

(Numbers in thousands)

1975......... 14,616 47.4 13,069 1,548 11.0 8,917 54.9 8,218 700 7.9 

1976......... 15,073 48.8 13,725 1,346 8.9 9,388 56.2 8,769 621 6.6 

1977......... 15,669 50.8 14,276 1,393 8.9 10,040 58.3 9,389 650 6.5 

1978......... 16,385 53.0 15,142 1,242 7.6 10,401 60.0 9,845 556 5.3 

1979......... 16,883 54.5 15,624 1,259 7.7 10,646 61.6 10,030 615 5.8 

1980......... 17,790 56.6 16,526 1,264 7.1 11,252 64.3 10,640 612 5.4 

1981......... 18,422 58.1 16,952 1,471 8.0 11,490 65.5 10,725 765 6.7 

1982......... 18,744 58.5 16,854 1,890 10.1 11,377 65.8 10,440 936 8.2 

1983......... 18,924 58.9 16,792 2,131 11.3 11,340 66.3 10,303 1,037 9.1 

1984......... 19,555 60.5 17,782 1,773 9.1 11,538 68.1 10,739 799 6.9 

1985......... 20,041 62.1 18,306 1,735 8.7 11,826 69.9 10,984 842 7.1 

1986......... 20,620 62.8 18,922 1,698 8.2 12,075 70.4 11,320 756 6.3 

1987......... 21,422 64.7 19,798 1,624 7.6 12,438 72.0 11,661 778 6.3 

1988......... 21,545 65.1 20,141 1,404 6.5 12,683 73.3 12,042 641 5.1 

1989......... 21,936 65.7 20,647 1,289 5.9 12,800 74.2 12,168 632 4.9 

1990......... 22,196 66.7 20,865 1,331 6.0 12,799 74.7 12,133 666 5.2 

1991......... 22,327 66.6 20,774 1,552 7.0 12,691 74.4 12,017 674 5.3 

1992......... 22,756 67.2 21,052 1,704 7.5 13,183 75.9 12,391 793 6.0 

1993......... 23,063 66.9 21,521 1,541 6.7 13,441 75.4 12,757 684 5.1 

1994......... 24,191 68.4 22,467 1,724 7.1 13,863 76.0 13,074 789 5.7 

1995......... 24,695 69.7 23,195 1,500 6.1 14,300 76.4 13,608 691 4.8 

1996......... 24,720 70.2 23,386 1,334 5.4 14,427 77.2 13,794 633 4.4 

1997......... 25,604 72.1 24,082 1,522 5.9 14,993 78.1 14,282 711 4.7 

1998......... 25,647 72.3 24,209 1,438 5.6 15,028 78.4 14,370 658 4.4 

1999......... 25,472 72.1 24,307 1,165 4.6 15,150 78.5 14,633 516 3.4 

2000......... 25,795 72.9 24,693 1,102 4.3 15,479 79.0 14,931 549 3.5 

2001......... 26,269 72.7 25,030 1,239 4.7 15,839 79.4 15,220 619 3.9 

2002......... 26,140 72.2 24,612 1,529 5.8 15,948 78.6 15,171 777 4.9 

2003......... 26,202 71.7 24,598 1,603 6.1 15,993 78.7 15,166 828 5.2 

2004......... 25,913 70.7 24,413 1,501 5.8 15,782 77.5 15,006 776 4.9 

2005......... 25,941 70.5 24,564 1,377 5.3 15,594 76.9 14,930 663 4.3 

2006......... 26,009 70.6 24,728 1,281 4.9 15,579 76.9 14,949 630 4.0 

2007......... 26,834 71.3 25,646 1,188 4.4 15,940 77.7 15,341 599 3.8 

2008......... 25,930 71.2 24,637 1,294 5.0 15,479 77.5 14,842 636 4.1 

 See note at end of table.

Year

With children under age 18 With children ages 6 to 17, none younger

Civilian labor force

Employed

Unemployed Civilian labor force

Employed

Unemployed

Total

Percent 

of 

population

Total

Percent 

of labor 

force

Total

Percent 

of 

population

Total

Percent 

of labor 

force

18
Table 7. Employment status of women by presence and age of youngest child, 

March 1975-2008—Continued

(Numbers in thousands)

1975......... 5,699 39.0 4,851 848 14.9 2,824 34.3 2,326 500 17.7 

1976......... 5,684 40.1 4,957 727 12.8 2,702 34.1 2,285 418 15.5 

1977......... 5,629 41.2 4,887 742 13.2 2,795 35.4 2,371 424 15.2 

1978......... 5,983 44.0 5,297 687 11.5 3,179 39.4 2,768 411 12.9 

1979......... 6,238 45.7 5,594 644 10.3 3,380 41.1 2,979 401 11.9 

1980......... 6,538 46.8 5,886 652 10.0 3,565 41.9 3,167 398 11.2 

1981......... 6,933 48.9 6,227 706 10.2 3,826 44.3 3,380 446 11.7 

1982......... 7,367 49.9 6,414 953 12.9 4,133 45.6 3,542 591 14.3 

1983......... 7,583 50.5 6,489 1,094 14.4 4,233 46.0 3,551 682 16.1 

1984......... 8,017 52.1 7,043 974 12.1 4,401 47.6 3,839 562 12.8 

1985......... 8,215 53.5 7,322 893 10.9 4,601 49.5 4,089 513 11.1 

1986......... 8,545 54.4 7,602 943 11.0 4,786 50.8 4,227 559 11.7 

1987......... 8,983 56.7 8,137 846 9.4 5,064 52.9 4,570 494 9.8 

1988......... 8,862 56.1 8,099 763 8.6 4,947 52.4 4,477 470 9.5 

1989......... 9,136 56.7 8,478 657 7.2 5,053 52.4 4,671 381 7.5 

1990......... 9,397 58.2 8,732 664 7.1 5,216 53.6 4,823 393 7.5 

1991......... 9,636 58.4 8,758 878 9.1 5,417 54.5 4,868 550 10.1 

1992......... 9,573 58.0 8,662 911 9.5 5,329 54.5 4,776 553 10.4 

1993......... 9,621 57.9 8,764 857 8.9 5,349 53.9 4,857 492 9.2 

1994......... 10,328 60.3 9,394 935 9.0 5,724 57.1 5,165 559 9.8 

1995......... 10,395 62.3 9,587 809 7.8 5,650 58.7 5,172 478 8.5 

1996......... 10,293 62.3 9,592 701 6.8 5,619 59.0 5,222 397 7.1 

1997......... 10,610 65.0 9,800 810 7.6 5,839 61.8 5,366 473 8.1 

1998......... 10,619 65.2 9,839 780 7.3 5,882 62.2 5,454 428 7.3 

1999......... 10,322 64.4 9,674 648 6.3 5,645 60.7 5,285 359 6.4 

2000......... 10,316 65.3 9,763 553 5.4 5,670 61.0 5,350 320 5.6 

2001......... 10,430 64.4 9,810 620 5.9 5,743 60.7 5,350 393 6.8 

2002......... 10,193 64.1 9,441 752 7.4 5,600 60.5 5,160 440 7.9 

2003......... 10,209 62.9 9,433 776 7.6 5,568 58.7 5,112 456 8.2 

2004......... 10,131 62.2 9,407 724 7.1 5,401 57.3 4,983 417 7.7 

2005......... 10,347 62.6 9,634 714 6.9 5,704 58.9 5,299 405 7.1 

2006......... 10,430 63.0 9,779 651 6.2 5,842 59.9 5,458 384 6.6 

2007......... 10,894 63.5 10,305 589 5.4 6,006 60.1 5,679 327 5.5 

2008......... 10,452 63.6 9,794 657 6.3 5,754 59.6 5,380 374 6.5 

 See note at end of table.

Year

With children under age 6 With children under age 3

Civilian labor force

Employed

Unemployed Civilian labor force

Employed

Unemployed

Total

Percent 

of 

population

Total

Percent 

of labor 

force

Total

Percent 

of 

population

Total

Percent 

of labor 

force

19
Table 7. Employment status of women by presence and

age of youngest child, March 1975-2008—Continued

(Numbers in thousands)

1975......... 22,365 45.1 20,381 1,984 8.9 

1976......... 23,327 45.7 21,389 1,938 8.3 

1977......... 24,385 46.4 22,348 2,037 8.4 

1978......... 25,362 47.0 23,631 1,731 6.8 

1979......... 26,962 48.6 25,285 1,677 6.2 

1980......... 27,144 48.1 25,375 1,769 6.5 

1981......... 27,992 48.7 25,934 2,059 7.4 

1982......... 28,351 48.6 26,041 2,311 8.2 

1983......... 28,856 48.7 26,373 2,483 8.6 

1984......... 29,684 49.3 27,652 2,032 6.8 

1985......... 30,850 50.4 28,814 2,036 6.6 

1986......... 31,112 50.5 29,107 2,005 6.4 

1987......... 31,538 50.5 29,688 1,850 5.9 

1988......... 32,490 51.2 30,911 1,580 4.9 

1989......... 33,255 51.9 31,761 1,495 4.5 

1990......... 33,942 52.3 32,391 1,551 4.6 

1991......... 34,047 52.0 32,167 1,880 5.5 

1992......... 34,487 52.3 32,481 2,006 5.8 

1993......... 34,495 52.1 32,476 2,020 5.9 

1994......... 35,455 53.1 33,345 2,110 6.0 

1995......... 35,843 52.9 34,054 1,789 5.0 

1996......... 36,509 53.0 34,698 1,811 5.0 

1997......... 37,295 53.6 35,572 1,723 4.6 

1998......... 38,253 54.1 36,680 1,573 4.1 

1999......... 39,314 54.3 37,587 1,727 4.4 

2000......... 40,142 54.8 38,408 1,733 4.3 

2001......... 40,996 54.4 39,363 1,633 4.0 

2002......... 41,278 54.0 39,038 2,241 5.4 

2003......... 42,039 54.1 39,667 2,372 5.6 

2004......... 42,289 53.8 40,000 2,289 5.4 

2005......... 42,677 53.5 40,570 2,107 4.9 

2006......... 43,392 53.6 41,440 1,952 4.5 

2007......... 44,039 53.9 42,279 1,760 4.0 

2008......... 45,585 54.3 43,417 2,168 4.8 

Year

With no children under age 18

Civilian labor force

Employed

Unemployed

Total

Percent 

of 

population

Total

Percent 

of labor 

force

NOTE: Children are "own" children and include sons,

daughters, stepchildren, and adopted children. Not included are

nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and other related and unrelated

children. Data for 1994 and subsequent years are not directly

comparable with data for 1993 and earlier years because of the

introduction of a major redesign of the Current Population

Survey. 

SOURCE: 2008 Annual Social and Economic Supplement,

Current Population Survey, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics.

20