In recognition of Women’s History Month, the Census Bureau released statistics on women’s educational attainment and employment. Read the release.

Pennsylvania Highlights

These highlights summarize measures of educational attainment, veteran status, and economic indicators for female Pennsylvanians.

Population [source]

Female population: 6,629,809

Educational Attainment [source]

Females age 25+: 4,762,396

• 9%high school graduate or higher
• 7%bachelor’s degree or higher
• 4%graduate or professional degree

Veterans [source]

Female veterans: 49,143 (8.2% of veterans)

Employment [source]

Females age 16+: 5,511,318

• 5%in the civilian labor force
• 0%employed

Class of Worker [source]

Share of all workers who are female:

• 5%of private for-profit wage and salary workers
• 0%of private not-for-profit wage and salary workers
• 6%of local government workers
• 9% of state government workers
• 4% of federal government workers
• 1% of self-employed workers

Occupations [source]

Female civilian employed population age 16+: 3,142,076

Distribution of employed women by occupation:

• 2% management, business, science, and arts
• 3%service
• 1%sales and office
• 7% production, transportation, and material moving
• 0.7% natural resources and maintenance operations

2026 Census Test Updates [Link]

The U.S. Census Bureau last month announced it has modified its 2026 Census Test sites to Huntsville, Alabama, and Spartanburg, South Carolina. Starting on May 1, the Census Bureau will invite approximately 154,600 households in Spartanburg and Huntsville to respond to the test online in English only via computer, smartphone and tablet. Phone and mail responses will not be offered. This test will include the same questions asked in the ACS.

State Government Finance Data [Link]

New data tables are available Annual Survey of State Government Finances, a supplement of the Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances. These statistics provide a summary of the finances of state governments for fiscal year 2024. Tables include data for each state, along with detailed information on revenue sources, spending and debt.

AIES Main Release Published [Link]

The first release of data from the 2023 Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES) is now available. The data offer the first single, comprehensive annual snapshot of U.S. employer businesses, including business revenue, expenses, payroll and employment. The release includes data at the national, regional and divisional levels, with state-level estimates available for select sectors.

Researchers used data from various federal resources – including the Social Security Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey – to compile statistics about the lives of people with disabilities. 

Section 10 presents data on people with disabilities in rural areas, and compares the prevalence of disability in rural, demographics, employment, income, and insurance coverage across rural, urban, and suburban areas.  The research is funded by the Administration for Community Living, an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. 

A new resource from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) explores solutions for behavioral health care deserts – areas with severe shortages of mental health providers, long wait times, high costs, and other barriers. Research shows that the number of behavioral health clinicians in rural areas is significantly lower than in metropolitan areas.  One promising way to fill in the workforce gap is to add trusted individuals who are not clinical providers but come from the communities they serve:

• Community Health Workers (CHWs) act as a liaison between providers and health care consumers to help navigate local health and social services.
• Peer Support Specialists are individuals with lived experience of substance use disorders who go through specialized training for recovery mentorship, emotional support, and assistance with practical needs such as paperwork and transportation.

The U.S. Census Bureau released estimates of the July 1, 2025 population at the county level. This release includes total population as well as components of change: births, deaths, and migration.

Key Findings from the Report:

• Pennsylvania’s population increased by just over 56,600 (+0.4%) between 2020 and 2025.
• Twenty-six counties increased from 2020 to 2025. The fastest-growing counties included Pike (+7.3%), Cumberland (+6.9%), and Chester (+4.2%).
• Forty-one counties decreased from 2020 to 2025. Counties that experienced the largest percentage decreases included Cameron (-7.3%), Greene (-5.7%), and Forest (-5.3%).

For more information on county population change in Pennsylvania, read this month’s brief.

The Census Bureau is scheduled to release detailed July 1, 2025 population estimates in June. These estimates will include data by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin for the nation, states, metro and micro areas, and counties, as well as population by age and sex for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and its municipios.