Women's Poverty Rate Remains Historically High, Says NWLC

 (Washington, D.C.) The poverty rates among women, like poverty rates overall, remained at historically high levels last year and were once again substantially above the poverty rates for men, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data released today by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC).  The poverty rate for women was 14.5 percent in 2012—and nearly 17.8 million women lived in poverty in 2012. 

“Millions of women and families are struggling to keep their heads above water, while the richest one percent is doing better than ever,” said Joan Entmacher, NWLC Vice President of Family Economic Security.  “So it’s shocking that some lawmakers are proposing savage cuts to programs that help families meet basic needs and give them a chance to get ahead while insisting that the very wealthy and big corporations should not pay a penny more in taxes.  It’s unfair, it’s untenable, and it’s un-American.”

Poverty among Women and Families in 2012:

• More than one in seven women, nearly 17.8 million, lived in poverty.  The poverty rate among women was 14.5 percent in 2012, statistically unchanged from 2011 and the highest rate in two decades.
• The poverty rate for men in 2012, 11.0 percent, was lower than for women, and also was statistically unchanged from 2011.  Although men’s poverty rate in 2012 was higher than in 2007, before the start of the recession, it was lower than women’s poverty rate in 2007—and lower than women’s record-low poverty rate (11.5 percent in 2000).
• Poverty rates were particularly high for women who head families (40.9 percent), black women (25.1 percent), Hispanic women (24.8 percent), and women 65 and older living alone (18.9 percent).
• More than one in five children, 21.8 percent, lived in poverty.  More than half (56.1 percent) of poor children lived in female-headed families in 2012.

Wage Gap in 2012:

•    Women working full-time, year-round continued to be paid only 77 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts, unchanged from 2011, and stagnant for a decade.

•    Black women working full-time, year-round were typically paid only 64 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.

•    Hispanic women working full-time, year-round were typically paid only 54 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.

“Once again, women have taken a hit in their pocketbooks:  the wage gap hasn’t budged a penny,” said Fatima Goss Graves, NWLC Vice President of Education and Employment.  “After eleven years of no progress on equal pay, policymakers need to get moving to improve the country’s pay discrimination laws, raise the minimum wage and remove the barriers women face in higher wage jobs.  For the millions of women and their families who are sliding backwards year by year, there’s no time to wait.”

Health Insurance in 2012:

•   The proportion of women 18-64 without health insurance was essentially unchanged between 2011 and 2012. This rate declined slightly, to 19.2 percent in 2012 from 19.6 percent in 2011.

•   The coverage rate for young women 19-25 saw no statistical change between 2011 and 2012.

•   The percentage of uninsured children decreased to 8.9 percent in 2012 from 9.4 percent in 2011.
“Today’s data show that Obamacare continues to work,” said Judy Waxman, NWLC Vice-President of Health and Reproductive Rights. “Over the past two years, we have solidified coverage gains for women. And the best is yet to come. Starting October 1, millions more will be able to sign up for Medicaid or shop for and enroll in an affordable health insurance plan. The marketplaces will make high-quality health insurance and financial help available to millions of Americans at long last.”

NWLC will continue to update its analysis here: http://www.nwlc.org/povertydata

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