This report is the 17th edition of the State of Working West Virginia, an annual series that examines West Virginia’s economy through the lens of its workers—the people who power our state and our economy. Previous editions have examined data on employment, income, racial disparities, job quality, and economic performance. While each year’s report has a slightly different focus, one consistent theme is the need to ask this simple question: How are the people who do the work faring?
This year’s edition focuses on the state of women in and around West Virginia’s workforce.
Over the past few decades, declining unemployment and rising labor force participation have improved the outlook for women in West Virginia’s workforce. But many disparities exist today—lower wages, higher poverty rates, and caregiving responsibilities still burden women disproportionately. While many of these issues are common throughout the United States, they are particularly taxing in West Virginia. In their 2023 report, Oxfam ranked West Virginia as the seventh worst state for working women.
Unemployment is near historic lows in West Virginia and nationally, but some groups don’t fare as well as others due to longstanding structural barriers and inequities in access to opportunity. Despite changes over the decades, a gap between men and women persists regarding labor force participation, wages, poverty, and overall economic security. Notably, women earn less than men at all wage levels.
Read the full report.
