Labor force participation rates . The labor force participation rate for people age 25-54 was 80 percent for women compared to 91 percent for men in 1998. More recent cohorts of women have entered the workforce at younger ages than in the past and have maintained a consistently higher participation rate. However, women are not expected to reach the same level of participation as men. Years out of the workforce .
Elderly women are less likely than elderly men to have significant income from private pensions.
Pension coverage is increasing for women in today's workforce. However, women still receive lower pension benefits due to their relatively lower earnings. Poverty rate . The poverty rate among elderly women is13 percent, while elderly men have a poverty rate of 7 percent. Women reaching age 65 in 2000 are expected to live, on average, an additional 19.2 years compared to 15.8 years for men.