| Year | "Labor force participation rate of mothers (percent)" | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youngest child under age 18 | Youngest child between ages 6 to 17 | Youngest child under age 6 | Youngest child under age 3 | |
1975 | 47.4 | 54.9 | 39.0 | 34.3 |
1976 | 48.8 | 56.2 | 40.1 | 34.1 |
1977 | 50.8 | 58.3 | 41.2 | 35.4 |
1978 | 53.0 | 60.0 | 44.0 | 39.4 |
1979 | 54.5 | 61.6 | 45.7 | 41.1 |
1980 | 56.6 | 64.3 | 46.8 | 41.9 |
1981 | 58.1 | 65.5 | 48.9 | 44.3 |
1982 | 58.5 | 65.8 | 49.9 | 45.6 |
1983 | 58.9 | 66.3 | 50.5 | 46.0 |
1984 | 60.5 | 68.1 | 52.1 | 47.6 |
1985 | 62.1 | 69.9 | 53.5 | 49.5 |
1986 | 62.8 | 70.4 | 54.4 | 50.8 |
1987 | 64.7 | 72.0 | 56.7 | 52.9 |
1988 | 65.1 | 73.3 | 56.1 | 52.4 |
1989 | 65.7 | 74.2 | 56.7 | 52.4 |
1990 | 66.7 | 74.7 | 58.2 | 53.6 |
1991 | 66.6 | 74.4 | 58.4 | 54.5 |
1992 | 67.2 | 75.9 | 58.0 | 54.5 |
1993 | 66.9 | 75.4 | 57.9 | 53.9 |
1994 | 68.4 | 76.0 | 60.3 | 57.1 |
1995 | 69.7 | 76.4 | 62.3 | 58.7 |
1996 | 70.2 | 77.2 | 62.3 | 59.0 |
1997 | 72.1 | 78.1 | 65.0 | 61.8 |
1998 | 72.3 | 78.4 | 65.2 | 62.2 |
1999 | 72.1 | 78.5 | 64.4 | 60.7 |
2000 | 72.9 | 79.0 | 65.3 | 61.0 |
2001 | 72.7 | 79.4 | 64.4 | 60.7 |
2002 | 72.2 | 78.6 | 64.1 | 60.5 |
2003 | 71.7 | 78.7 | 62.9 | 58.7 |
2004 | 70.7 | 77.5 | 62.2 | 57.3 |
2005 | 70.5 | 76.9 | 62.6 | 58.9 |
2006 | 70.6 | 76.9 | 63.0 | 59.9 |
2007 | 71.3 | 77.7 | 63.5 | 60.1 |
2008 | 71.2 | 77.5 | 63.6 | 59.6 |
2009 | 71.6 | 78.2 | 63.6 | 61.1 |
2010 | 71.3 | 77.2 | 64.2 | 61.1 |
2011 | 70.9 | 76.5 | 64.2 | 60.9 |
2012 | 70.9 | 76.0 | 64.7 | 60.7 |
2013 | 70.3 | 74.8 | 64.7 | 62.1 |
2014 | 70.8 | 75.8 | 64.3 | 61.8 |
2015 | 69.9 | 74.6 | 63.9 | 61.4 |
Notes: Children are "own" children and include sons, daughters, step-children, or adopted children. Not included are nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and other related and unrelated children. Labor force participation rate represents the percentage of persons in the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years and older that are employed or actively looking for work. The comparability of historical data has been affected at various times by methodological and other changes in the Current Population Survey.
Source: 1975-2015 Annual Social and Economic Supplements, Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics