NewsBreak – Women’s contributions to West Virginia’s economy have long been underappreciated. Over the past two decades, women’s labor force participation in the state has declined, but the amount of unpaid labor they perform has increased, particularly in caregiving roles. This shift highlights systemic challenges that hinder economic security for women and, by extension, their families and communities.
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According to the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, women in the state face significant barriers in both paid and unpaid work. The median hourly wage for women stands at just under $20, compared to over $23 for men. Despite having higher levels of educational attainment than men, women dominate lower-paying professions like elementary and secondary education—sectors that demand advanced qualifications but offer limited financial rewards.
Sean O’Leary, a senior policy analyst for the center, notes that nearly half of West Virginia women are neither employed nor actively seeking work. Instead, they dedicate their time to unpaid caregiving responsibilities that underpin the state’s families and communities. If the low wages paid to professional child care workers in West Virginia were applied to women providing care at home, this unpaid labor would be valued at an astonishing $1.6 billion annually.
