Poverty & Opportunity
Women and girls in Western Massachusetts have higher high school enrollment rates, lower dropout rates, and they complete higher levels of education than men and boys. Women also hold the majority of educator positions (70%) and are the majority of principals and heads of school (55%). Women hold only 39% of superintendent positions, with very few black women represented. Women are also underrepresented in leadership positions in healthcare and higher education, two major employers in Western Massachusetts, although some individual institutions had gender parity. In the STEM workforce, women were grossly underrepresented at 28%.
Poverty
Percent of Population Living in Poverty by County and Gender
Source: U.S. Census, ACS, 5-Year Estimate 2013-2017
Business
In 2012, the most recent Survey of Business Owners data available, women owned one-third of all business firms in Western MA, comparable to the proportion of firms owned by women statewide.
Percent of Businesses Owned by Women in Western MA, by County
U.S. Census, Economic Census: Survey of Business Owners, 2012
STEM
According to the US Census Bureau’s most current occupation-related five-year estimates, 2006-2010, women were largely underrepresented in the STEM field.
Percent of Jobs Held by Women in STEM in Western MA
U.S. Census, American Community Survey (ACS), EEO 5-Year Estimate 2006-2012.
The term “STEM education” refers to teaching and learning in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. —Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education: A Primer
Citation: Gonzalez, H. B., & Kuenzi, J. J. (2012, August). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education: A primer. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Healthcare
Healthcare is one of the largest employment sectors in Western MA. Leadership analysis of the largest non-governmental hospitals and healthcare systems showed at least 41% of leadership positions are held by women.
Educators & Administrators
While women held the vast majority of K-12 public school teaching positions, school principals, and heads of school positions in Western MA in 2017-2018, few were women of color.
Teachers
Although the proportion of teachers of color was highest in Hampden County, this rate was far from representative of the diversity of the student body.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. School and District Profiles, 2017-2018.
Principals & Heads of School
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. School and District Profiles, 2017-2018.
Superintendents
Of the 90 superintendent positions in Western MA, 37 were held by women during the 2017-2018 school year.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. School and District Profiles, 2017-2018.
