Women’s History Month: March 2022

Press Release Number: CB22-FF.03

National Women’s History Month traces its roots to March 8, 1857, when women from various New York City factories staged a protest over poor working conditions. The first Women's Day celebration in the United States was in 1909, also in New York City. More than seven decades later, Congress in 1981 established National Women's History Week to be commemorated annually the second week of March. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month and every year since has passed a resolution (and the president has issued a proclamation) designating March Women’s History Month.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month 2022, we reflect upon advances women have made over the last decade. Women have increased their earnings, education and fields of occupation, and continue to have longer average life spans than men. Below are some Census Bureau stats highlighting these and other changes over the years. We appreciate the public’s cooperation in helping us measure America’s people, places and economy. 

Did You Know?

164.8 million

The number of females of all ages in the United States. There were 159.9 million males of all ages. 

Source:

2 to 1

The approximate ratio of women to men ages 85 and older (4.1 million to 2.2 million) in the United States. 

Source:

20.7%

In 2019, the percentage of women 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree as their highest degree; 19.9% of men had a bachelor’s degree as their highest degree.

Source:

80.8%

Women's median earnings as a percentage of men's median earnings, for full full-time, year-round workers 16 years and older.

Source:

More Stats

More on Select Occupations

Earnings

Education

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History

Observances in our Facts for Features series:

  • National Black History Month (February)
  • Women's History Month (March)
  • Irish-American Heritage Month (March)
  • Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May)
  • The Fourth of July
  • Anniversary of Americans With Disabilities Act (July 26)
  • National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15)
  • Halloween (Oct. 31)
  • National Native American Heritage Month (November)
  • Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
  • Holiday Season (November — December)

Editor’s note: These data come from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. We generally release Facts for Features about two months before observances to accommodate magazine production timelines. For more information, contact the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office at (301)763-3030 or <pio@census.gov>.

Profile America's Facts for Features provides statistics related to observances and holidays not covered by Stats for Stories. For observances not listed above, visit our Stats for Stories webpage.

Stats for Stories provides links to timely story ideas highlighting newsworthy Census Bureau statistics that relate to current events, observances, holidays and anniversaries. The story ideas are intended to assist the media in story mining and producing content for their audiences. Dates with presidential proclamations are marked with (P).

Page Last Revised - April 4, 2024