100 Must-Know Statistics About Women and Retirement

2.3 million: Number of job losses experienced by women since the start of the pandemic.
55%: Percentage of job losses in 2020 that were experienced by women. 
47%: Percentage of jobs occupied by women in 2020. 
59.2%: Labor force participation rate, women over age 20, December 2019. 
57.2%: Labor force participation rate, women over age 20, December 2020. 
2.8%: Unemployment rate, white women, February 2020. 
5.4%: Unemployment rate, white women, November 2020. 
4.9%: Unemployment rate, Hispanic women, February 2020. 
8.2%: Unemployment rate, Hispanic women, November 2020. 
4.8%: Unemployment rate, Black women, February 2020. 
9.0%: Unemployment rate, Black women, November 2020. 
8.4%: Unemployment rate, immigrant women, December 2020. 
5.8%: Unemployment rate, women born in the U.S., December 2020. 
22%: Percentage of women in jobs that allow them to telecommute. 
28%: Percentage of men in jobs that allow them to telecommute. 
20%: Percentage of single parents in jobs that allow them to telecommute. 
40%: Percentage of married people with children in jobs that allow them to telecommute. 
32.1%: Percentage of working women ages 25-44 who say they’re not working because of childcare demands. 
12.1%: Percentage of working men ages 25-44 who say they’re not working because of childcare demands. 
4.7 hours: Average fewer hours worked by mothers with children age 6-12 than fathers, February 2020.
6.2 hours: Average fewer hours worked by mothers with children age 6-12 than fathers, April 2020.

$42,692: Median earnings of working-age women who worked full-time, year-round, 2019. 
$52,364: Median earnings of working-age men who worked full-time, year-round, 2019. 
67%: Percentage of hourly wage that women earn versus men, 1980. 
85%: Percentage of hourly wage that women earn versus men, 2018.
89%: Percentage of hourly wage that women ages 25-34 earn versus men ages 25-34, 2018.
39 days: Amount of extra work per year it would take women to earn an equivalent amount of pay to men given the hourly wage gap.
78.4%: White female average earnings as a percentage of white male earnings. 
61.4%: Black female average earnings as a percentage of white male earnings. 
56.0%: Hispanic female average earnings as a percentage of white male earnings. 
$1.53 million: Net estimated lifetime earnings for men with a high school degree. 
$870,000: Net estimated lifetime earnings for women with a high school degree. 
$1.32 million: Net estimated lifetime earnings for women with a bachelor’s degree.
$2.19 million: Net estimated lifetime earnings for men with a bachelor’s degree.
$1.69 million: Net estimated lifetime earnings for women with a graduate degree.
$2.68 million: Net estimated lifetime earnings for men with a graduate degree.
44: Average age at which women’s earnings peak. 
55: Average age at which men’s earnings peak. 
$66,700: Peak average earnings for women. 
$101,200: Peak average earnings for men. 

42%: Percentage of working women who said they have experienced gender discrimination at work. 
68%: Percentage of women who said they accepted the salary they were offered and didn’t negotiate.
52%: Percentage of men who said they accepted the salary they were offered and didn’t negotiate. 
42%: Percentage of mothers who said they reduced work hours to care for a child or family member. 
28%: Percentage of fathers who said they reduced work hours to care for a child or family member. 
27%: Percentage of mothers who said they quit a job to care for a child or family member. 
10%: Percentage of fathers who said they quit a job to care for a child or family member.
25%: Percentage of employers that offered paid parental leave, 2015. 
40%: Percentage of employers that offered paid parental leave, 2018. 
83%: Percentage of care delivered to older adults that is provided by family members or friends. 
>75%: Percentage of long-term caregivers who are female. 
31%: Percentage of informal long-term care services provided to elderly parents by adult daughters. 
16%: Percentage of informal long-term care services provided to elderly parents by adult sons. 
34.7: Average number of hours per week worked by unpaid caregivers who have jobs in addition to caregiving. 
70%: Percentage of caregivers who suffered work-related difficulties due to their caregiving duties. 

70%: Percentage of women saving in a 401(k) or similar plan, or outside the workplace. 
81%: Percentage of men saving in a 401(k) or similar plan, or outside the workplace. 
27: Average age when men began saving for retirement. 
26: Average age when women began saving for retirement. 
$47,244: Median total income from all sources, single women over age 65, 2016.
$57,144: Median total income from all sources, single men over age 65, 2016.
5: Where women placed retirement savings on their financial priority list, below meeting daily living costs, paying off debts, covering housing costs, and general-purpose savings. 
1: Where men placed retirement savings on their financial priority list. 
55%: Percentage of women who expect to retire after age 65 or do not plan to retire. 
84%: Percentage of women who expect to retire after age 65 who say they are doing so for financial reasons. 
39%: Percentage of women who are confident they’ll have enough resources to last 25 years into retirement. 
54%: Percentage of men who are confident they’ll have enough resources to last 25 years into retirement. 

$13,505: Average annual Social Security benefit received by women 65 years and older, 2019. 
$17,374: Average annual Social Security benefit received by men 65 years and older, 2019. 
47%: Percentage of income that Social Security composes for unmarried women age 65 and older (including widows), 2017. 
34%: Percentage of income that Social Security composes for unmarried men age 65 and older (including widowers), 2017. 
48%: Percentage of elderly unmarried females receiving Social Security who rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income, 2017. 
63.9%: Percentage of Social Security beneficiaries age 85 and older who are women.

16%: Percentage of women age 71 and older who have Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. 
11%: Percentage of men age 71 and older who have Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
2.5 years: Average number of years women who need long-term care will need it. 
1.5 years: Average number of years men who need long-term care will need it. 
47%: Estimated percentage of men 65 and older who will need long-term care during their lifetimes. 
58%: Estimated percentage of women 65 and older who will need long-term care during their lifetimes. 
70%: Percentage of people in nursing homes who are women.
$19,700: Average annual spending on healthcare expenses by women 65 and over. 
$18,331: Average annual spending on healthcare expenses by men 65 and over.

21.5: The number of years a 65-year-old woman in 2019 is expected to live. 
19.1: The number of years a 65-year-old man in 2019 is expected to live. 
78.5: Life expectancy for a 40-year-old woman in the lowest 1% of income. 
88.8: Life expectancy for a 40-year-old woman in the highest 1% of income. 

22%: Percentage of women age 70-74 who are poor or near-poor.
17%: Percentage of men age 70-74 who are poor or near-poor.
29%: Percentage of women age 75-79 who are poor or near-poor.
19%: Percentage of men age 75-79 who are poor or near-poor.
36%: Percentage of women age 80-plus who are poor or near-poor.
24%: Percentage of men age 80-plus who are poor or near-poor.
65%: Percentage of the elderly poor who are women.
29%: Percentage of never married women over age 65 who live in poverty.
25%: Percentage of Black women over age 65 who live in poverty.
31%: Percentage of Hispanic women over age 65 who live in poverty.

37%: Percentage of women who use a professional financial advisor. 
90%: Percentage of women who will manage assets on their own at some point during their lifetimes. 
70%: Percentage of women with financial advisors who will change advisors within one year of their partners' deaths.
33.5%: Percentage of financial advisors who are female, 2018.

Cite: Morning Star, Christine Benz, 100 Must-Know Statistics About Women and Retirement 3/3/21