Labor Force Status by Gender in Franklin County

In 1989, 524,518 persons 16 years old or older were classified as in the labor force in Franklin County. Over the last two decades, the overall labor force participation rate has increased from 61.4% of all persons 16 years old and older to 70.1%, primarily because women have increasingly entered the labor force. Of the 171,110 people added to the labor force between 1969 and 1989, 62% were women. In 1969, 46.3% of all women 16 years old or older were in the labor force. In 1989, that percentage had risen to 62.9%. The participation rate of men has changed only marginally, from 78.4% of men 16+ yrs in 1969 to 78.1% in 1989. Of the 275,790 men in the civilian labor force in 1989, 5.5% were unemployed. Of the 247,373 women in the civilian labor force in 1989, 4.7% were unemployed.

The labor force includes persons in the armed forces and all civilians 16 years old or older who are employed or are unemployed but actively seeking employment. "Discouraged workers" who are capable of working but have given up looking for a job are classified as "not in the labor force." Others often classified as not in the labor force are students, housewives, retired workers, institutionalized persons or persons doing only incidental unpaid family work.

Labor Force Status by Gender in Franklin County: 1969-1989

Gender & Status                     1969        1979         1989


All Persons 16 Years and over    575,366     662,695      748,168
In Labor Force                   353,408     434,360      524,518 
    Percent in labor force          61.4        65.5         70.1  
Civilian Labor Force             348,004     433,010      523,163 
   Employed                      336,132     408,874      496,524 
   Unemployed                     11,872      24,136       26,639 
    Percent unemployed               3.4         5.6          5.1  
 Armed Forces                      5,404       1,350        1,355
Not in labor force               221,958     228,335      223,650

Males 16 years and over          270,976     313,363      354,504
In labor force                   212,332     241,409      276,951 
    Percent in labor force          78.4        77.0         78.1  
Civilian labor force             207,054     240,222      275,790 
   Employed                      200,275     225,827      260,725 
   Unemployed                      6,779      14,395       15,065 
    Percent unemployed               3.3         6.0          5.5 
 Armed Forces                      5,278       1,187        1,161
Not in labor force                58,644      71,954       77,553

Females 16 yrs and over          304,390     349,332      393,664
In labor force                   141,076     192,951      247,567 
    Percent in labor force          46.3        55.2         62.9 
 Civilian labor force            140,950     192,788      247,373 
   Employed                      135,857     183,047      235,799 
   Unemployed                      5,093       9,741       11,574 
    Percent unemployed               3.6         5.1          4.7 
 Armed Forces                        126         163          194
Not in labor force               163,314     156,381      146,097

Source: Census of Population and Housing, U.S. Bureau of the Census

Filename: CD-037

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