Population Characteristics

Population characteristics describe the diverse social, demographic, and economic features of the Nation’s population. There were over 151 million females in the United States in 2006, representing slightly more than half of the population.

Examining data by demographic factors such as sex, age, and race/ethnicity can serve a number of purposes for policymakers and program planners. For instance, these comparisons can be used to tailor the development and evaluation of policies and programs serving women.

This section presents data on population characteristics that affect women’s physical, social, and emotional health. Some of these characteristics include the age and racial and ethnic distribution of the population, household composition, education, income, occupation, and participation in Federal programs.

The topics in this section include:

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