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
Reproductive Health Care: Concerns and Priorities
A new national poll from IWPR higlights the critical importance of reproductive health and rights to American families. The poll, released two years after the landmark Dobbs decision, underscores the level of national support policymakers have to advance abortion access nationwide amid increasing state-level [...]
The Economic Impacts of Reproductive Restrictions in Florida
Restrictions on reproductive health, like the gestational abortion ban implemented in Florida, have devastating and far-reaching impacts on the health and well-being of women. Furthermore, reproductive restrictions create barriers to women’s pursuit of education and their participation in the labor force, therefore inflicting adverse [...]
Black Women Won’t Reach Pay Equity Until 2227
This fact sheet shows that Black women face a substantial gap in earnings compared to White men in each state. Progress has slowed markedly during the last 20 years compared to a longer time horizon. Based on trends during the last two decades, it [...]
