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
Narrow the Gender Pay Gap, Reduce Poverty for Families: The Economic Impact of Equal Pay by State
Equal pay would significantly reduce poverty for working women and their families across the United States. If working women received equal pay with comparable men—men who are of the same age, have the same level of education, work the same number of hours, and have the same urban/rural status—poverty for working women would be reduced by more than 40 percent.
All Work and Little Pay: IWPR Survey Shows Worrying Challenges for Working Mothers
IWPR’s new survey finds that, on the heels of the economic downturn, working mothers are skeptical about their ability to achieve equal pay. They also report being worried about paying bills and balancing work and family demands. Paid leave and health care are top priorities.
Despite Record Job Growth in March 2021, Gender Gap in Economic Recovery Widened
New March jobs data show that nearly one million (916,000) new payroll jobs were added, yet only one-third of these went to women (34.4 percent, or 315,000 payroll jobs). This marks an increased widening of the gender gap in recovery for a second month in a row. Women still need 4.6 million more jobs to get back to pre-COVID-19 levels, compared to men who need 3.8 million more jobs.
