Employment And Workforce
Female to Male Earnings Ratio
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

What does this measure?

The ratio of female to male median earnings, in 2022 dollars.

Why is this important?

Differences in the earning power of females and males contribute to higher poverty rates for female-headed households and to inequity for individuals and families in our community. Income is tied to a variety of life outcomes, including health and happiness.

How is our county performing?

In 2018-22, women in Worcester County earned a median income of $34,300, or 67 cents for every dollar earned by males (a female to male earnings ratio of 0.67). This ratio was up 10% from 60 cents in 2008-12. The ratio was on par with the state and nation (both at 0.67).

Why do these disparities exist?

The pay gap between females and males has many contributing factors, ranging from pay discrimination to the types of occupations and roles that females and males participate in to gaps in working when women give birth and care for children. In studies that control for occupation, experience, title and location, the pay gap narrows to as little as 5% or less. However, scholars and activists argue that cultural bias, societal assumptions and workplace design continue to contribute the pay gap, including by narrowing the viable workplace choices for females. Increased flexibility in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic may increase options and equity in some sectors, especially office-based work, though other female-dominated occupations, such as servers and health aides, may experience little change.

Notes about the data

Multi-year figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

Female to Male Earnings Ratio
2008-122013-172018-22
Worcester County0.600.630.67
Athol0.650.580.69
Clinton0.730.760.76
Fitchburg0.790.670.75
Gardner0.670.700.65
Northbridge0.530.560.65
Southbridge0.690.660.64
Spencer0.720.730.75*
Webster0.660.710.64
Westborough0.450.500.49
Worcester0.660.710.70
Massachusetts0.620.650.67
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham0.67*0.56**0.98*
Auburn0.580.600.72
Barre0.590.610.59*
Berlin0.610.450.52
Blackstone0.650.690.69
Bolton0.45**0.540.62*
Boylston0.670.640.59*
Brookfield0.440.570.65
Charlton0.65*0.650.65
Douglas0.640.63*0.67
Dudley0.610.760.59
East Brookfield0.57*0.620.72*
Grafton0.660.570.60
Hardwick0.56*0.75*0.53
Harvard0.64*0.630.61*
Holden0.580.620.60
Hopedale0.580.60*0.47*
Hubbardston0.550.56*0.63
Lancaster0.54*0.460.87**
Leicester0.520.640.74
Lunenburg0.560.520.67
Mendon0.470.50*0.75*
Milford0.610.610.62
Millbury0.660.650.60
Millville0.64*0.52*0.60
New Braintree0.510.68*0.75
Northborough0.480.550.46
North Brookfield0.590.850.65**
Oakham0.66*0.780.67
Oxford0.630.630.70*
Paxton0.500.890.51
Petersham0.49**0.560.87*
Phillipston0.460.50*0.57*
Princeton0.560.71*0.71
Royalston0.45*0.440.71**
Rutland0.54*0.70*0.84***
Shrewsbury0.630.530.56
Southborough0.520.530.57*
Sterling0.660.66*0.97
Sturbridge0.470.530.60
Sutton0.420.54*0.69*
Templeton0.490.63*0.58
Upton0.50*0.57**0.40
Uxbridge0.600.620.71
Warren0.630.450.52*
West Boylston0.87*0.650.76
West Brookfield0.570.58*0.77
Westminster0.610.62*0.65
Winchendon0.57*0.60*0.75
Leominster0.580.670.70

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Median Earnings for Females
2008-122013-172018-22
Worcester County$31,134$31,293$34,299
Athol$25,956$25,314$25,565
Clinton$37,113$36,502$39,301
Fitchburg$25,905$24,103$29,557
Gardner$25,496$26,656$24,946
Northbridge$29,771$32,469$38,113
Southbridge$26,983$24,592$25,053
Spencer$30,819$31,043$32,374*
Webster$26,442$29,046$32,598
Westborough$40,392$41,824$45,114
Worcester$25,500$24,979$27,659
Massachusetts$32,169$33,007$37,463
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham$41,777*$34,189**$50,990*
Auburn$32,630$34,296$42,301
Barre$38,473$30,973$27,900*
Berlin$34,619$32,068$41,525
Blackstone$37,071$38,604$41,219
Bolton$43,271**$49,985$65,786*
Boylston$50,177$40,475$43,555*
Brookfield$25,571$30,197$29,340
Charlton$42,110*$40,769$40,569
Douglas$40,051$39,051*$45,199
Dudley$32,486$30,351$27,954
East Brookfield$28,793*$36,535$36,399*
Grafton$44,064$41,860$41,145
Hardwick$28,767*$27,842*$26,679
Harvard$41,228*$45,007$56,288*
Holden$41,070$43,267$47,928
Hopedale$43,020$38,774*$34,007*
Hubbardston$32,227$35,000*$34,388
Lancaster$33,215*$28,782$50,777**
Leicester$29,418$31,461$34,308
Lunenburg$36,249$36,606$40,967
Mendon$33,813$41,085*$43,269*
Milford$31,816$34,760$33,007
Millbury$37,545$32,771$38,983
Millville$33,195*$32,415*$31,350
New Braintree$34,902$38,206*$47,109
Northborough$40,200$36,890$46,477
North Brookfield$33,037$40,502$32,778**
Oakham$36,249*$36,985$34,684
Oxford$32,565$35,208$37,237*
Paxton$34,481$45,252$34,625
Petersham$22,689**$26,746$40,069*
Phillipston$25,121$24,849*$32,132*
Princeton$44,338$53,212*$56,953
Royalston$24,763*$25,410$35,625**
Rutland$34,863*$42,149*$44,337***
Shrewsbury$43,363$39,225$45,815
Southborough$53,411$48,655$60,789*
Sterling$45,551$40,453*$54,604
Sturbridge$31,703$33,934$39,938
Sutton$32,726$38,559*$42,305*
Templeton$27,651$29,929*$38,988
Upton$39,220*$44,586**$29,913
Uxbridge$37,982$35,866$41,695
Warren$28,029$27,467$26,345*
West Boylston$39,479*$31,120$40,931
West Brookfield$30,679$27,724*$33,513
Westminster$32,789$45,426*$36,820
Winchendon$28,011*$29,029*$34,172
Leominster$27,761$29,855$36,014

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Figures in 2022 dollars. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.







INDICATORS TREND
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments 1
Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution 0
Maintaining
Households With Internet Access 1
Increasing
Protected Land 10 Not Applicable*
Voter Participation Rate -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 0
Maintaining
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Foreign-Born Population 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
Population by Age -1
Decreasing
Households by Type 0
Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Median Household Income 0
Maintaining
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
80/20 Income Ratio 0
Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Age 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance 0
Maintaining
Households Without Vehicles 0
Maintaining
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Employer Size 1
Increasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Self-Employment Revenue 0
Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County for Work 1
Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Preterm Births 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels -1
Decreasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma 1
Increasing
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Cancer Incidence 0
Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence -1
Decreasing
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions 1
Increasing
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate 1
Increasing
Children Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students 1
Increasing
Disengaged Youth -1
Decreasing
Prekindergarten Participation -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing





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