American Women Then and Now

by Borgna Brunner

In 1900, men outnumbered women in the U.S.: 38.8 million versus 37.2 million, a ratio of 95.9 women for every 100 men.

POPULATION

By 1999, the situation had reversed: there were 139.5 million women versus 133.4 million men, a ratio of 95.5 males per every 100 women.

In 1900 a woman's average life expectancy was 48.3 years.

LIFE EXPECTANCY

By 1998 women on average could expect to live to 79.4 years.

In 1900 the median age of marriage for women was 21.9 years.

MARRIAGE

By 1998 the median marriage age had risen to 25 years.

In 1900, fewer than 0.5% of the female population were divorced.

DIVORCE

By 1998, the percentage of divorced women had shot up to 10%.

In 1915, the rate of women dying during childbirth was 60.8 per every 1,000 women.

CHILDBIRTH MORTALITY

In 1997, maternal deaths in childbirth had nearly vanished, to 0.8 per every 1,000 women.

In 1900, 19% of the nation's women held jobs.

WORK

By 1998, that proportion tripled to 60%.

In 1900, 23 PhDs were awarded to women.

HIGHER EDUCATION

In 1998, 515,000 women received doctorates.

In 1900, 63 homicides committed by women.

CRIME

In 1998, the figure was 1,241.