The Status of Women in the States project ranks and grades Maine across several areas of women’s lives. While Maine performs better in some areas, no matter the rank, there are still barriers and inequities that prevent women from succeeding and thriving. Across all indices, Maine ranks toward the top of states in the country. Maines’s performance is the strongest on the Political Participation and Reproductive Rights indices. Maines’s performance is weakest on the Employment and Earnings and the Health and Well-Being indices.
Explore the Data
As state policies and programs have changed over the years, so has the status of women in Maine. Since 1996, Maine has made progress in some areas, while lagging in others.
Articles and Publications
The Pandemic Effect: Women Want Good Pay, Health Coverage, and Better Benefits as They Re-Enter Workforce
A new national survey by IWPR finds solid pay, health insurance, job security, retirement benefits, and paid leave top the list of considerations for women as they re-enter the workforce.
The Status of Women in North Carolina: Poverty & Opportunity
In North Carolina and across the United States, women have made significant progress. Despite this, many women remain in poverty with limited access to a quality education, affordable health care services, and other supports that would give them economic security. This report looks at four indicators necessary for women’s economic success: (1) access to health insurance coverage, (2) educational attainment, (3) business ownership, and (4) poverty rates. These indicators are combined to create an index that ranks North Carolina against all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Gender Wage Gaps Remain Wide in Year Two of the Pandemic
In 2021, women earned just 83.1 percent of what men earned, based on IWPR’s analysis of median weekly earnings for full-time workers.
