It is unclear if this transition has been successful for these individuals and their families as there is no outcome data currently available. All of New Hampshire s ten counties are considered rural. There is very little organized public transportation, even in New Hampshire s largest cities. In New Hampshire, a 35 year old woman with a Bachelor s degree earns less, on average, than a 35 year old man with a high school diploma. A 45 year old woman with a Bachelor s degree earns less, on average, than a 45 year old man with no high school degree.
Women are also more likely to be part-time students.
Women who become mothers at an early age and who do not complete high school are especially at risk for living and raising their families in poverty. Mothers in Northern New Hampshire age 25 to 44 are the least likely to have completed high school. Underemployment, rather than unemployment, is a greater cause of concern for women than it is for men in New Hampshire. Women s earnings begin to decline after the 30 to 34 age group. Men s earnings, however, peak and then begin to decline after the 45 to 54 age group.