LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICES...DATE: December 7, 2012 RE ... crime, health care, and mental...

LEGISLATIVERESEARCHSERVICESAlaskaStateLegislature (907)465‐3991phoneDivisionofLegalandResearchServices (907)465‐3908faxStateCapitol,Juneau,AK99801 [email protected]

ResearchBriefTO: Senator Lesil McGuire FROM: Susan Haymes and Katie Spielberger, Legislative Analysts DATE: December 7, 2012 RE: Women in Alaska LRS Report 13.072

You asked for statistical information about women in Alaska in a number of topic areas, including disparity in wages, property ownership, homelessness, crime, health care, and mental illness.1

While the ratio of men to women in Alaska is still higher than any other state in the country, it is much smaller than a hundred years ago, when men outnumbered women nearly two‐and‐a‐half to one. The percentage of women in the population has grown over the past century, currently making up about 48 percent of the state’s population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women comprise 50.8 percent of the national population, and the ratio of males to females in Alaska is the highest in the country at 108.5 males per 100 females.2 According to Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) estimates, of the 346,859 women in Alaska in 2011, about 70 percent identified as white, 17 percent as Alaska Native or American Indian, 8 percent as Asian or Pacific Islander, and 4 percent as Black or African American. Table 1 shows the population of women in Alaska by race.

Table 1: Women in Alaska, 2011, by Race

Race/Ethnicity Total Population Women

Number Percent Number Percent

White 514,296 71.2 243,730 70.3

Alaska Native or American Indian 121,795 16.9 60,234 17.4

Black or African American 33,308 4.6 15,381 4.4

Asian or Pacific Islander 52,791 7.3 27,514 7.9

Total Population 722,190 100.0 346,859 100.0

Hispanic (of any race) 42,025 5.8 20,236 5.8

Notes: “Bridged” race estimates adjust data from surveys that allow reporting of more than one race group (such as the decennial Census) such that each respondent is assigned a single race. All numbers are based on 2010 Census geography. Source: “Alaska Population by Age, Sex, Bridged Race and Hispanic Origin, 2000 to 2011,” Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section. These data were developed through a combination of estimates from the DOLWD, U.S. Census Bureau, and National Center for Health Statistics.

The percentage of women in the population varies across the state’s boroughs and census areas. In 2011, Sitka had the highest percentage of women in the population (about 50 percent), followed in small decrements by Skagway, Haines, Anchorage, and Juneau, each with about 49 percent. The areas with the smallest proportions of women in the populations are the Aleutians West Borough (33), Aleutians East Borough (33), and the North Slope Borough (37). Table 2 illustrates these data.

1 For each of these topics, we use what we believe to be the most accurate data available, and thus use data from a number of sources.

Because of variations in methodology and sample sizes, however, we caution against comparing data across sources. 2 Ten states had more males than females in their populations in 2010: Alaska (108.5), Wyoming (104.1), North Dakota (102.1), Nevada

(102.0), Utah (100.9), Montana (100.8), Colorado (100.5), Idaho (100.4), Hawaii (100.3) and South Dakota (100.1). The lowest ratio of men to women was in the District of Columbia (89.5). “Age and Sex Composition: 2010,” U.S. Census Bureau, www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br‐03.pdf/. Current and historic Census data for Alaska can be found at http://labor.alaska.gov/research/census/.

LEGISLATIVERESEARCHSERVICES,LRS13.072 DECEMBER7,2012—PAGE2WOMENINALASKA

Table 2: Women in Alaska, 2011, by Borough/Census Area

Borough/Census Area Population Women Women as a

Percent of Borough/Census Area

Aleutians East Borough 3,172 1,054 33.2

Aleutians West Borough 5,546 1,803 32.5

Anchorage Municipality 296,197 150,387 49.2

Bethel Census Area 17,548 8,457 48.2

Bristol Bay Borough 1,035 472 45.6

Denali Borough 1,820 815 44.8

Dillingham Census Area 4,947 2,359 47.7

Fairbanks North Star Borough 97,615 46,141 47.3

Haines Borough 2,620 1,292 49.3

Hoonah‐Angoon Census Area 2,148 980 45.6

Juneau City and Borough 32,290 15,839 49.1

Kenai Peninsula Borough 56,369 26,853 47.6

Ketchikan Gateway Borough 13,686 6,676 48.8

Kodiak Island Borough 13,870 6,539 47.1

Lake and Peninsula Borough 1,693 791 46.7

Matanuska‐Susitna Borough 91,697 44,404 48.4

Nome Census Area 9,730 4,552 46.8

North Slope Borough 9,584 3,586 37.4

Northwest Arctic Borough 7,651 3,568 46.6

Petersburg Census Area 3,951 1,889 47.8

Prince of Wales‐Hyder Census Area 5,814 2,616 45.0

Sitka City and Borough 8,985 4,484 49.9

Skagway Borough 965 477 49.4

Southeast Fairbanks Census Area 7,080 3,145 44.4

Valdez Cordova Census Area 9,783 5,218 46.6

Wade Hampton Census Area 7,672 3,644 47.5

Wrangell City and Borough 2,411 1,150 47.7

Yakutat City and Borough 656 303 46.2

Yukon‐Koyukuk Census Area 5,655 2,595 45.9

Statewide Total 722,190 346,859 48.0

Notes: All numbers are based on 2010 Census geography. Source: “Alaska Population by Age, Sex, and Borough/Census Area, 2000 to 2011,” Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section. These data were developed through a combination of estimates from the DOLWD, U.S. Census Bureau, and National Center for Health Statistics.


Gender Wage Gap

Over the past several decades, the participation and roles of women in the workforce have changed dramatically. Women are employed in more varied occupations and are more likely to work year‐round than they were in the past. In addition, women have attained higher levels of education, and now receive the majority of bachelor degrees granted. Because more mothers are part of the workforce, women’s contributions to family incomes have increased and are often critical for their families’ economic well‐being.3 Nevertheless, there remains a substantial difference in the wages men and women receive for their work. This difference is commonly referred to as the gender wage gap or gender pay gap. While the wage gap has decreased over the last 25 years, it remains quite high. The gap persists in all states and across a wide spectrum of occupations and industries. Nationally, in 2011, men’s median annual earnings were $48,202 and women’s were $37,118, a difference of $11,084. In Alaska, women earned 77 cents for each dollar a man earned for full‐time year‐round work, the same as the national ratio. 4 The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) also measures the ratio of average annual wages based on gender, but includes both full‐time and part‐time workers. 5 According to a recent article in Alaska Economic Trends on gender and earnings in the state, in 2010, a woman earned 67 cents to a man’s dollar—a five cent increase from 1990.6 The following table shows the percentage of men and women employed in Alaska and the ratio of women’s average wages to men’s for selected years.7

3 In 1975, only four in ten mothers (39.6 percent) with a child under age six worked outside the home; however, by 2008, that figure had

increased to more than six in ten (64.3 percent). Mothers in the labor force with children ages 6‐17 had risen to 78 percent. Approximately one‐third of employed mothers are the sole breadwinners for their families. U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee, Invest in Women, Invest in America: A Comprehensive Review of Women in the U.S. Economy, December 2010. The report can be accessed at www.jec.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=9118a9ef‐0771‐4777‐9c1f‐8232fe70a45c.

4 The estimate of the pay gap using annual earnings is based on the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement data, which is published each September by the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The report can be accessed at www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/p60‐243.pdf. The wage gap can also be estimated using weekly earnings for full‐time workers, which tend to be slightly smaller than the pay gap using annual earnings. Using weekly earnings, in 2011, nationally, women’s earnings were about 82 percent of men’s, while in Alaska women earned only 75.5 percent of men’s earnings. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, “Highlights of Women’s Earnings in 2011,” October 2012, Report 1038. The report can be accessed at www.bls.gov/cps/cpswom2011.pdf.

5 The inclusion of part‐time workers is likely to more accurately reflect the gender wage gap, because part‐time workers are disproportionately female. Part‐time workers are paid an average of only 58 cents on the dollar compared to the hourly wages of their full‐time working peers. Women are far more likely than men to be employed part‐time – nearly two‐thirds (64 percent) of part‐time workers are women, and one in four (26 percent) of all employed women work part‐time. U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee, Invest in Women, Invest in America, p.10.

6 Caroline Schultz, "Gender and Earnings in Alaska," Alaska Economic Trends, October 2012. We include the report as Attachment A. The report can also be accessed online at http://labor.state.ak.us/trends/oct11.pdf.

7 We note that the gender wage gap for minority women in Alaska is even greater, which is consistent with the general U.S. trend. Numerous reports provide additional information on this issue, such as Judy Dey and Catherine Hill, Behind the Pay Gap, American Association of University Women, 2007; Invest in Women, Invest in America, December 2010; and Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well‐Being, U.S. Department of Commerce and Office of Management and Budget, March 2011 (www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/Women_in_America.pdf).


1990 1994 2000 2004 2010

Percentage EmployedMenWomen

53.9%46.1%

53.8%46.2%

52.6%47.4%

52.2%47.8%

52.1%47.9%

Percentage of Total Earnings MenWomen

65.3%34.7%

63.9%36.1%

62.7%37.3%

61.8%38.2%

61.8%38.2%

Average Annual EarningsMenWomen

$26,867$16,710

$28,707$18,838

$31,243$20,582

$35,062$23,657

$43,684$29,323

62.2% 65.6% 65.9% 67.5% 67.1%

Table 3: Earnings for Women and Men in Alaska in Selected Years, 1990 to 2010

Notes: Average annual wages includes wages for full‐time and part‐time workers. The upward trend has not been strong in recent years. For example, the earnings gap slipped in 2006 and 2008 to 66.6% and 65.1%, respectively.Sources: Caroline Schultz, "Gender and Earnings in Alaska," Alaska Economic Trends , October 2011. The report can be accessed at http://labor.state.ak.us/trends/oct11.pdf .

Women's Average Earnings as a Percentage of Men's

While the gender wage gap has narrowed in Alaska, women continue to earn less than men in all industries, age groups, geographic areas, and in most occupations. The wage ratio varies widely by industry as Figure 1 shows. In 2010, women earned roughly 71 percent of what men earned in the natural resources and mining industries, about 67 percent in the construction industry, and only 57 percent in the trade, transportation and utilities industries. The proportion of women’s wages to men’s was highest in local government (85 percent), financial activities (81), leisure and hospitality (81), and state government (78). Generally, women’s earnings were higher and the pay gap smaller in the public sector, where on average, women earned 81 cents for every dollar men earned. Overall, women comprised 56 percent of the public workforce in 2010, and took home 50 percent of the total earnings.8 Figure 1 shows for each industry the ratio of women’s to men’s earnings as reported by the DOLWD in Alaska Economic Trends.

8 Schultz, Alaska Economic Trends, October 2012.

71.4%

67.3%

62.0%

57.1%

73.4%

81.1%

67.3%

73.1%

81.2%

85.4%

78.1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Natural Resources and Mining

Construction

Manufacturing

Trade, Transp., and Utilities

Information

Financial Activities

Professional and Business Services

Educational and Health Services

Leisure and Hospitatility

Local Government

State Government

Ratio of Women's to Men's Earnings by Industry, Alaska, 2010

Figure 1

Source: Caroline Schultz, “Gender and Earnings in Alaska,”Alaska Economic Trends, October 2011.


Generally, male‐dominated occupations tend to pay more than female‐dominated occupations at similar skill levels. In Alaska, occupations with mostly male workers play a bigger role in the economy than those staffed by mostly women. In 2010, 223 occupations had a workforce comprised of at least 80 percent men, but only 76 occupations employed over 80 percent women. The gender pay gap is a factor not only across industries, but can be job‐specific as well. In 2010, in Alaska, the largest occupational category for women alone and for men and women combined was retail salespersons, which employed 10,454 women. Although women held 58 percent of retail sales positions, they earned less on average than men—$9,164 per year compared to $14,006.9 Similarly, in the highest‐paying occupation for women, physicians and surgeons, the average woman earned $166,411 per year, while her male counterpart made $229,312. As a rule, earnings increase for both men and women with years of education. According to a recent report prepared by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), however, just one year after college graduation, women working full‐time earned only 82 percent of what their male peers earned.10 Part of the gap can be explained by the choice of college major, as different college majors lead to work with different earnings. Graduates who earn degrees in more female‐dominated majors tend to get jobs that pay less than jobs held by graduates with degrees in more male‐dominated majors. For example, one year after graduation, the average full‐time female social science major earned just 66 percent of what the average full‐time female engineering major earned. Choice of major, however, explains only part of the gap. Even when men and women choose the same major, women still often earn less than men do one year after college graduation. In education, a female‐dominated major, women and men earn close to the same. In business, a mixed‐gender major, women earn 84 percent as much as men. Likewise in computer science—a male‐dominated major—women earn only 77 percent as much as men earn a year after graduation. While the report found that women’s choices—college major, occupation, hours at work—account for part of the pay gap, about one‐third of the gap remains unexplained, suggesting that bias and discrimination are still problems in the workplace.11 The pay gap also has implications for women’s student loan debt burden. High student loan debt is a challenge for all college graduates, but it particularly affects women, in part because of the pay gap. While women and men pay the same amount for a college degree, because women earn less than men do after college, student loan repayments make up a larger part of women’s earnings. In 2009, among full‐time workers repaying their loans one year after college graduation, almost half of women (47 percent) were paying more than 8 percent of their earnings toward student loan debt compared with 39 percent of men. The U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee points out that persistent lower pay over the course of a career may have implications for economic security in retirement for older workers. For example, in 2011, the poverty rate among elderly women was 11 percent compared to 6 percent for elderly men. Overall, the gender pay gap makes achieving economic security more difficult for women and their families.

9 Women are more likely to work part‐time, which could explain some of the discrepancy in earnings in all fields. 10 Christianne Corbett and Catherine Hill, Graduating to a Pay Gap: The Earnings of Women and Men One Year After College Graduation,

American Association of University Women, 2012. The report can be accessed at www.aauw.org/GraduatetoaPayGap/upload/AAUWGraduatingtoaPayGapReport.pdf.

11 The reasons behind the pay gap remain the subject of controversy. Many critics of the pay gap issue attribute differences in pay primarily to women’s choices. The AAUW and others argue that it is likely that at least part of the unexplained gap results from discrimination. In addition, family responsibilities are also a factor because women are traditionally more likely to take on parenting roles that prevent them from taking and keeping jobs that pay well but require long hours and provide less flexibility. More information can be found in Invest in Women, Invest in America, pp.81‐82; Graduating to a Pay Gap: The Earnings of Women and Men One Year After College Graduation; and the AAUW’s The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap, 2012 edition, (www.aauw.org/learn/research/upload/simpletruthaboutpaygap1.pdf).


Housing

According to 2010 Census data, the homeownership rate in Alaska was about 65.7 percent, slightly below the U.S. rate of 66.9. The average household size for owner‐occupied housing units was 2.98 people, higher than the average for renter‐occupied units, 2.64. Both of these numbers are higher than the national averages (2.71 and 2.48, respectively).12 Of the 258,058 households in Alaska enumerated by the 2010 Census, about 46 percent were married couple families living in an owner‐occupied home. Across all household types, home ownership rates increase with the age of the householder. At any age, householders living as part of a married couple were more likely to own, rather than to rent, a home. In nonfamily households, both male and female householders, whether living alone or not, were about equally likely to own or rent their homes. Among family householders—that is, households with at least one other person related to the householder through birth, marriage, or adoption—men without a wife present were more likely to own their homes than women without a husband present. Almost all types of family households are more likely to own than rent their homes, with one exception: single female householders with children under 18 years. Only 42 percent of single mothers with young children own their homes, which is the lowest rate of any group.13 Tables 4 and 5 illustrate these data.

Table 4: Alaska Housing Tenure by Household Type and Presence of Children under 18 Years, 2006‐2010

Owner Occupied Renter Occupied

Total Estimate Percent of Total Estimate Percent of Total

Family households 120,592 71.5 48,092 28.5 168,684

Husband‐wife family 97,990 77.6 28,247 22.4 126,237

With own children under 18 years 42,231 71.9 16,508 28.1 58,739

No own children under 18 years 55,759 82.6 11,739 17.4 67,498

Other family 22,602 53.2 19,845 46.8 42,447

Male householder, no wife present 8,699 59.1 6,027 40.9 14,726



Female householder, no husband present 13,903 50.2 13,818 49.8 27,721



Nonfamily household 40,030 50.3 39,534 49.7 79,564

All Types of Households 160,622 64.7 87,626 35.3 248,248

Notes: A “family household” has at least one member of the household related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption; "nonfamily households" consist of people living alone and households which do not have any members related to the householder. Same‐sex couple households are included in the family households category if there is at least one additional person related to the householder by birth or adoption. Same‐sex couple households with no relatives of the householder present are tabulated in nonfamily households. Source: 2006‐2010 American Community Survey (ACS) 5‐Year Estimates. The ACS is the primary data collection tool of the U.S. Census Bureau between decennial Censuses; it is, however, important to note that ACS data are derived from a survey that is smaller in scope and size than that used for the decennial Censuses, and as such have a larger margin of error.

12 U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012, www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/construction_housing.html.

Homeownership rate represents the proportion of owner‐occupied households to the total number of occupied households. 13Per the U.S. Census Bureau, “The householder refers to the person (or one of the people) in whose name the housing unit is owned or rented

or, if there is no such person, any adult member, excluding roomers, boarders, or paid employees. If the house is owned or rented jointly by a married couple, the householder may be either the husband or the wife.” Beginning in 1980, the Census Bureau discontinued its longtime practice of always classifying the husband as the reference person (head) when he and his wife are living together, and replaced the terms “head of household” and “head of family” with “householder” and “family householder.”


Table 5: Alaska Housing Tenure by Age and Household Type, 2011

Owner Occupied Renter Occupied

Total Estimate Percent of Total Estimate Percent of Total

Family households 119,635 70.1 51,115 29.9 170,750

Husband‐wife family 97,138 76.2 30,420 23.8 127,558

Householder 15 to 34 years 12,523 47.3 13,971 52.7 26,494


Householder 65 years and over 14,166 90.5 1,488 9.5 15,654

Other family 22,497 52.1 20,695 47.9 43,192

Male householder, no wife present 8,923 57.7 6,532 42.3 15,455



Householder 65 years and over 952 79.3 248 20.7 1,200

Female householder, no husband present 13,574 48.9 14,163 51.1 27,737



Householder 65 years and over 2,331 77.8 665 22.2 2,996

Nonfamily household 43,130 49.4 44,178 50.6 87,308

Male householder 24,388 48.4 26,009 51.6 50,397

Householder living alone 18,661 49.5 19,053 50.5 37,714




Householder not living alone 5,727 45.2 6,956 54.8 12,683



Householder 65 years and over 561 70.2 238 29.8 799

Female householder 18,742 50.8 18,169 49.2 36,911

Householder living alone 14,710 51.9 13,649 48.1 28,359




Householder not living alone 4,032 47.1 4,520 52.9 8,552

Householder 15 to 34 years 913 24.0 2,893 76.0 3,806


Householder 65 years and over 515 73.7 184 26.3 699

All Types of Households 162,765 63.1 95,293 36.9 258,058

Notes: A “family household” has at least one member of the household related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption; "nonfamily households" consist of people living alone and households which do not have any members related to the householder. Same‐sex couple households are included in the family households category if there is at least one additional person related to the householder by birth or adoption. Same‐sex couple households with no relatives of the householder present are tabulated in nonfamily households. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding effects. Source: 2010 Census Summary File 1.


Homelessness

There are many reasons people become homeless, and the factors that lead to homelessness are different for every individual. 14 Generally, homelessness is caused by the inability of people to pay for housing; therefore, it is impacted by both income and the affordability of available housing. Other factors that contribute to homelessness are domestic violence, the effects of mental illness and substance abuse, lack of access to healthcare, and institutional discharge to homelessness from hospitals, jails, and prisons. All of these factors may be exacerbated when individuals and families lack a network of support services. According to the 2010 Annual Homeless Assessment to Congress (AHAR), the nation’s sheltered homeless adult population in 2010 was approximately 62 percent male and 38 percent female.15 The portrait of homelessness differs significantly by household type—that is, people who are homeless by themselves are very different from those who are part of a family. Individuals who use homeless shelters are typically male and middle‐aged, while adults who use homeless shelters as part of a family are commonly female and under 30. The “typical” homeless family consists of a mother and two children, is more likely to identify as a minority, and is less likely to have a disability. In 2010, among homeless families in shelters across the nation, women composed almost 78 percent of the adults. Nearly 60 percent of people who are homeless in families are children under age 18. Homeless families represent a much larger share of the total sheltered population than ever before. From 2007 to 2010, the number of homeless persons in families increased by 20 percent, and the proportion of homeless people using emergency shelters and transitional housing as part of a family increased from 30 percent to 35 percent. 16 In Alaska, the profile of sheltered homeless people is consistent with national data. In state fiscal year (SFY) 2012, of individuals using emergency shelters and transitional housing, approximately 75 percent were male and 25 percent female. In contrast, adults in families using shelters were 62 percent female and 38 percent male. Of persons in families staying in shelters about 58 percent were children.17

Alaska Data The federal government and the states have implemented a number of ways to survey the homeless population on a regular basis. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires each state to collect data on its homeless population and to maintain a Homeless Management information System (HMIS). Alaska’s HMIS (AKHMIS) is operated for the state by the Municipality of Anchorage’s Department of Health and Human Services.18 States provide survey data from the annual Point‐In‐Time (PIT) count, which is conducted by local organizations on a single night in January of all sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons, as well as PIT surveys throughout the year of homeless people staying in shelters and transitional housing. 19 The HUD and others note that the point‐in‐time survey typically undercounts the homeless due to the

14 For purposes of this report, “homelessness” or “homeless” conform to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition,

which generally considers an individual homeless if he or she lives in an emergency shelter, transitional housing, or a place not intended for human habitation, such as a car, the streets, or an abandoned building.

15 By sheltered persons we mean individuals and persons in families using emergency and transitional housing. The AHAR includes an unduplicated count of persons who used HUD facilities during the federal fiscal year (October 1 – September 30). The report is prepared by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Community Planning and Development and can be accessed at www.hudhre.info/documents/2010HomelessAssessmentReport.pdf.

16 “Persons in families” are defined as homeless people who are part of households that have at least one adult and one child. 17 Kris Duncan, MSW, Planner, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. Ms. Duncan notes that under federal law the HUD data and the SFY 2012

data do not include women and children receiving victim services including rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, or domestic violence transitional housing. Ms. Duncan can be reached at 907.330.8276.

18 The AKHMIS is funded by annual grants from HUD and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. The HUD has priority for AKHMIS data; however, the state system is in the process of an update, which will allow service providers and policymakers in Alaska access to more detailed data. More information on AKHMIS can be accessed at www.muni.org/Departments/health/services/Pages/link.aspx. Sandra Olbrice, Director of AKHMIS, can be reached at 907.343.6592.

19 The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) organizes the PIT counts and collects the data for input into the Alaska Homeless Management Information System (AKHMIS).


difficulty of finding all homeless people and administering the survey. 20 Additionally, the data submitted to the HMIS does not include homeless people staying with family or friends, in motels, or using domestic violence services. Thus, any counts of homeless people are estimates and represent only a snapshot of the homeless at a particular time and place. You asked specifically for information on the race or ethnicity, the education levels, and the marital status of homeless women in Alaska. The annual and 12‐month surveys collect data on gender and race, but all of the data are reported to HUD in the aggregate. This means HUD does not report the race or ethnicity of homeless persons by gender. Likewise, the surveys do not ask whether the head of household is a man or woman, nor does HUD ask about educational attainment or marital status. The PIT count does provide estimates of homeless persons within particular subpopulations, such as severely mentally ill persons, the chronically homeless, victims of domestic violence, and veterans, but these data are not disaggregated by gender. The AKHMIS collects additional data from the annual and 12‐month PIT counts such as people staying with family or friends or temporarily in a motel. The AKHMIS has reported this data for Anchorage for 2011, which we include in this report.

Homelessness in Alaska According to the annual Point‐in‐Time count for 2011, the national rate of homelessness was 21 homeless persons per 10,000 people in the general population. Alaska’s rate was 30 homeless people per 10,000 of the general population, which ranks Alaska 6th in the nation—along with Colorado, Florida and Washington—in concentration of homeless people. In Alaska in 2011, as in the nation, the majority of homeless people were not part of a family; nonetheless, homeless people in families increased statewide by almost 12 percent.21 As discussed above, the majority of homeless adults in families are women. The following table shows a comparison of the homeless population in Alaska on a single night in January in 2010 and 2011. The data are provided by HUD, and are reported for each of Alaska’s Continuum of Care regions, which are Anchorage and the Balance of the State.22 The homeless population decreased slightly in Anchorage in 2011, but increased overall statewide from 2010 to 2011. Likewise, the number of homeless persons in families decreased in Anchorage, but increased by over 38 percent in the rest of the state.

Alaska Regions Total IndividualsPersons in Families

Family Households Total Individuals

Persons in Families

Family Households

Anchorage 1,223 794 429 138 1,231 740 491 151

Balance of State 905 492 413 139 632 378 254 93Total 2,128 1,286 842 277 1,863 1,118 745 244

2011 2010

Table 6: Alaska Annual Point‐in‐Time Estimates for 2010 and 2011

Notes: Persons in families are homeless people who are part of households that have at least one adult and one child. The PIT is a count of homeless people on a given night in January, and thus is only an estimate of the homeless population.Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, "The 2011 Point‐In‐Time Estimates of Homelessness: Supplement to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report," December 2011. The report can be accessed at www.hudhre.info/documents/PIT‐HIC_SupplementalAHARReport.pdf .

20 In an effort to get a more complete count, on the same day as the PIT count, many communities hold Project Homeless Connect programs.

The Connect program began in 2004 as a way to invite homeless people to one location where they can receive a wide range of services. Project Homeless Connect events have been held in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kenai, Ketchikan, the Mat‐Su, and Sitka.

21 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, “The 2011 Point‐in‐Time Estimates of Homelessness: Supplement to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report,” December 2011. The report can be accessed at www.hudhre.info/documents/PIT‐HIC_SupplementalAHARReport.pdf.

22 The HUD requires each state to form Continuums of Care (CoC), which are local planning bodies responsible for coordinating homelessness services in a geographic area.


According to HUD data reported for the October 1, 2010 – September 30, 2011 time period, Alaska is consistent with the national trend, in that the majority of adults counted as persons in homeless families were female. The following charts show the percentage of adults in families and as individuals, by gender, in Alaska’s sheltered homeless population.

Similarly, when considering the persons in homeless family category, children comprise the majority. The following charts show the percentage of children, men, and women staying in shelters as part of a family and as individuals.

Table 7 shows some of the characteristics of sheltered homeless persons in Alaska for the October 1, 2010 – September 30, 2011 time period as reported by HUD.23 Of the total adult population using emergency and transitional housing during this time period, 73 percent were male and 27 percent female. Compared to the national average (62 percent male/38 percent female), more men stayed at shelters in Alaska during this time period.

23 Transitional housing is defined by HUD as temporary supportive housing for the homeless for up to 24 months. This does not include

domestic violence services.

Men36%

Women64%

Adults in Families

Men77%

Women23%

Adult Individuals

Men15%

Women28%

Children57%

Persons in Families

Men76%

Women22%

Children2%

Individuals

Details of Sheltered Homeless Population in Alaska

Characteristics Emergency Shelters

Transitional Housing

Emergency Shelters


Emergency Shelters


Emergency Shelters


Number of Sheltered Adults 130 41 1,444 163 332 139 3,974 384

Percentage Female 69% 63% 17% 26% 58% 69% 25% 28%

Percentage Male 31% 37% 82% 74% 42% 29% 75% 72%

Number of Sheltered Children 188 51 11 0 429 214 119 0

Total Homeless 318 92 1,455 163 761 353 4,093 384

Race of Sheltered PersonsWhite, non‐Hispanic/non‐Latino 50% 23% 45% 50% 16% 17% 30% 39%White, Hispanic/Latino 0% 0% 1% 1% 2% 1% 2% 1%Black or African‐American 3% 1% 6% 6% 14% 10% 10% 9%Asian 0% 0% 9% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1%

American Indian or Alaska Native 18% 40% 22% 22% 27% 40% 39% 26%

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 3% 13% 1% 0% 20% 11% 2% 1%

Several Races 22% 23% 6% 12% 16% 16% 13% 19%

Unknown 5% 0% 9% 7% 3% 5% 4% 4%

Table 7: Demographic Characteristics of Sheltered Homeless Persons in Alaska by Continuum of Care Region, October 1, 2010‐September 30, 2011

Balance of Alaska Anchorage

Notes: Families are defined as any household that includes at least one adult over 18 years of age and one child who is younger than 18 years old. These numbers do not include persons receiving assistance from "victim service providers" including rape crisis centers, battered women's shelters, and domestic violence transitional housing programs. Continuums of Care (CoC) are local planning bodies responsible for coordinating homeless services in a geographic area. Alaska has two CoC regions. Sources: Homeless Management information System, U.S. Housing and Urban Development, "Sheltered Homeless Persons in Alaska Balance of the State, 10/1/2010‐ 9/30/2011" and Sheltered Homeless Persons in Alaska Anchorage, 10/1/2010‐ 9/30/2011." Both reports can be accessed at www.hudhdx.info/PublicReports.aspx .

Persons in Families Individuals Persons in Families Individuals

Legislative Research Services Report 13.072, December 2012 Page 11


While gender is not identified with race in the HUD data, we can make some observations based on the data in Table 7. In Anchorage, of persons in families, most identified as a minority—Black or African‐American (13 percent), Alaska Native (31 percent), Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (17 percent), or several races (16 percent). Sixteen percent identified as white (non‐Hispanic/non‐Latino). Across the rest of the state, 44 percent of homeless persons in families identified as white (non‐Hispanic/non‐Latino), 23 percent as Alaska Native, and 22 percent as several races. As previously noted, not all data collected are forwarded to HUD and do not include, for example, people staying with families or friends or in motels.24 According to the January 2011 PIT count for Anchorage, an additional 2,582 persons were counted as homeless. Of this group,

1,728 (67 percent) were persons in households with adults and children, of which 84 percent were staying with family and friends

818 (32 percent) were individuals, and of these about 87 percent were staying with family or friends.

36 were single unaccompanied youth, of which 94 percent were staying with family or friends.

76 were victims of domestic violence.25

These data suggest that many more homeless families are staying with family and friends, rather than in shelters or on the streets. Because the majority of adults in homeless families are women, the population of homeless women is most likely larger than that reported by HUD.

Domestic Violence Domestic violence is consistently identified as a major cause of homelessness for women and children in the United States. Most homeless women have experienced domestic or sexual violence at some point in their lives. Women in domestic violence situations may become homeless fleeing abuse or being evicted as a result of the violence. Nationally, about 13 percent of homeless families report that they left their last residence due to violence or abuse.26 In Alaska, based on the 2012 Point‐in‐Time survey, of the adult homeless, ten percent identified as victims of domestic violence.27 In SFY 2012, a total of 3,125 women and children stayed in domestic violence facilities. Of these, 1,753 were persons aged 18 or older and 1,372 were under 18 years of age. 28

24 According to The State of Homelessness in America 2012, the “doubled‐up” population, those homeless people who lived with family or

friends, increased by 13 percent in 2010. The report was prepared by the National Alliance to End Homelessness and the Homelessness Research Institute and can be accessed at www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/the‐state‐of‐homelessness‐in‐america‐2012.

25 Municipality of Anchorage, Department of Health and Human Services, AKMIS Anchorage CoC Homeless Count, January 2011. The report can be accessed at www.muni.org/Departments/health/services/Documents/AKHMIS/ANC%20Homeless‐PIT_2011.pdf.

26 National Alliance to End Homelessness, www.endhomelessness.org/pages/domestic_violence. 27 Alaska Homeless Management Information System, “Homeless & At‐Risk Data Report, June 1, 2011‐June 30, 2012.” 28 In an effort to gain a more complete picture of the extent of homelessness in the state, the Council on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault

contributes additional data to AKHMIS. Alaska Homeless Management Information System, “Homeless & At‐Risk Data Report, June 1, 2011‐June 30, 2012.”


Crime

Over the past decade, the proportion of women prisoners in Alaska’s correctional institutions has grown. According to data from the Department of Corrections, just over 500 Alaska women were imprisoned in 2011, making up nearly 11 percent of the inmate population; in 2002, by contrast, women made up just over 7 percent of that population. According to the U.S Bureau of Justice Statistics, women made up about 7 percent of all prisoners under the jurisdiction of state and federal correctional authorities on December 31, 2010, only a slight increase from 2000. The corresponding Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates for women in Alaska, however, show an increase from 6.8 percent in 2000 to 11.5 percent in 2010.29 The composition of Alaskan prisoners in 2011 by race was as follows:

Of the entire Alaska institutionalized offender population in 2011, about 47 percent were White, 36 percent Alaska Native, 11 percent Black, 3 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, and 3 percent Hispanic/Latino.

Of female offenders, about 53 percent were White, 33 percent Alaska Native, 7 percent Black, 4 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, and 2 percent Hispanic/Latino. 30

Among these women prisoners, about 72 percent were imprisoned for a felony, 27 percent for a misdemeanor, and 1 percent for a violation, compared to 78, 21, and .3 percent, respectively, for the total population. In 2011, the most common crime classifications for women were crimes against property, crimes against persons, and drugs. Women made up a larger percentage of all inmates for drug crimes than any other classification. Table 8 shows the number of Alaskan women in correctional institutions by crime classification during 2011.

Table 8: Alaskan Women in Correctional Institutions by Crime Classification, 2011

Crime Classification All Alaska Inmates Women Women as a Percent of All Inmates Percent of All Women

Inmates

Alcohol 387 69 17.8 13.6

Drugs 355 84 23.7 16.6

Against Persons 1,253 112 8.9 22.1

Against Property 642 118 18.4 23.3

Public Order/Administration 417 51 12.3 10.1

Parole/Probation Violations 802 37 4.6 7.3

Non‐Registerable Sex Offenses 3 1 33.3 0.0

Registerable Sex Offenses 663 10 1.5 2.0

Traffic/Driving 159 25 15.7 4.9

Weapons 52 0 0.0 0.0

Totals/All Crimes 4,734 507 10.7 100.0

Notes: Inmates serving prison terms for more than one crime are classified according to the most serious offense. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding effects. Data are from the Alaska Corrections Offender Management System (ACOMS), a database launched in May 2010. Included in these numbers are all offenders incarcerated in‐state and out‐of‐state who were entered into the ACOMS database on or before December 31, 2011. Source: Alaska Department of Corrections, "2011 Offender Profile," http://www.correct.state.ak.us/corrections/admin/docs/profile2010.pdf.

29 “Prisoners in 2010,” U.S Bureau of Justice Statistics, December 2011, accessed at http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/p10.pdf. The

Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Prisoner Statistics series annually collects data on prisoner counts and characteristics, as well as admissions, releases, and capacity, from the 50 states and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

30 The race/ethnicity of three women and 20 men was listed as either “unknown” or “other.”


Recidivism

In general, recidivism rates are lower for women than for men, both in Alaska and in the nation. That is, women are less likely than men to be repeat offenders. According to a 2011 study of recidivism in 2008 and 2009 by the Alaska Judicial Council rates of reconviction for both male felons and male misdemeanants are higher than those for females. Some of the study’s findings were as follows:

• Within one year, 30 percent of males and 19 percent of females were rearrested. Within two years, 43 percent of males and 30 percent of females were rearrested.

• Males were remanded to custody at a higher rate than females. Within one year, 38 percent of males were remanded compared to 30 percent of females.

• Males were reconvicted of a new offense at higher rates than females. Within one year, 19 percent of males and 11 percent of females were reconvicted of a new offense. Within two years, females (24 percent) were reconvicted at a lower rate than males (33 percent).31

The following tables, excerpted from the study, show rearrests and reconvictions by gender for felons and misdemeanants in 2008 and 2009.

Table 9: Rearrests by Gender, 2008 and 2009

Felons Misdemeanants

Within one year Within two years Within one year Within two years 2008 2009 2008 2008 2009 2008

Male 30% 30% 43% 37% 37% 50%

Female 19% 17% 30% 31% 28% 43%

Total 27% 27% 39% 35% 35% 48%

Source: “Criminal Recidivism in Alaska, 2008 and 2009,” Alaska Judicial Council, November 2011, available at www.ajc.state.ak.us/reports/recid2011.pdf.

Table 10: Reconvictions by Gender, 2008 and 2009

Felons Misdemeants

Within one year Within two years Within one year Within two years

2008 2009 2008 2008 2009 2008

Male 19% 18% 33% 28% 26% 42%

Female 11% 10% 24% 23% 18% 35%

Total 17% 16% 30% 26% 24% 40%

Source: “Criminal Recidivism in Alaska, 2008 and 2009,” Alaska Judicial Council, November 2011, available at www.ajc.state.ak.us/reports/recid2011.pdf.

31 “Criminal Recidivism in Alaska, 2008 and 2009,” Alaska Judicial Council, November 2011. The entire report can be viewed at

http://www.ajc.state.ak.us/reports/recid2011.pdf.


Health Care

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 82 percent of Alaskans of all ages have health insurance coverage, compared to 84 percent of the total U.S. population.32 As in the U.S. as a whole, Alaskan women are slightly more likely to have health coverage than Alaskan men, but the insurance coverage rates for adult Alaskan women are still a bit below national averages. About 21 percent of Alaska women ages 19‐64 are uninsured, compared to 20 percent in the U.S overall. Thirteen percent of Alaska children are uninsured, compared to 10 percent nationwide. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that Alaska is the state with the lowest percentage of private‐sector firms offering insurance (39.2 percent, compared to 51.0 percent in the U.S. as a whole). Still, a slightly higher proportion of Alaskans have insurance coverage through their employers than the national average. A smaller portion of both Alaskan men and women are covered under Medicaid and individual health insurance than the national average. Table 11 illustrates health insurance coverage for adult women (ages 19‐64) in Alaska and the U.S. Table 12 illustrates health insurance coverage for all non‐elderly females (ages 0‐64).

Table 11: Health Insurance Coverage for Total Adult Population and Women in Alaska (2010‐2011) and U.S. (2011)

Alaska United States

Total Population 19‐64 Women 19‐64 Total Population 19‐64 Women 19‐64 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Employer 258,500 60 129,900 60 109,524,600 58 55,973,600 58

Individual 16,200 4 8,900 4 12,057,800 6 6,292,900 7

Medicaid 33,200 8 18,700 9 19,609,300 10 11,588,100 12

Other Public 24,800 6 13,600 6 6,526,400 3 3,316,000 3

Uninsured 99,900 23 44,800 21 40,287,600 21 18,894,200 20

Total 432,600 100 215,800 100 188,005,800 100 96,064,800 100

Notes: Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding effects. All two‐year health coverage estimates are based on the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the US Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS). The ASEC is a survey of around 78,000 households that can be used to examine state‐level trends (through multi‐year averages). All single‐year health coverage estimates are from the American Community Survey (ACS). Since the ACS health coverage module was implemented in 2008, there are no historical data available. For more details, see "Notes to Topics Based on the Current Population Survey (CPS)" at www.statehealthfacts.kff.org/methodology. Source: Estimates from the Urban Institute and Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured based on the Census Bureau's March 2011 and 2012 Current Population Survey (CPS: Annual Social and Economic Supplements). Accessed through Kaiser Family Foundation, www.statehealthfacts.org.

32 The Kaiser Family Foundation provides a wide range of health data, information and policy analysis at www.kff.org.


Table 12: Health Insurance Coverage for Total Non‐Elderly Population and Women in Alaska (2010‐2011) and U.S. (2011)

Alaska United States

Total Population 0‐64 Women 0‐64 Total Population 0‐64 Women 0‐64 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Employer 356,700 56 179,400 57 148,660,700 56 74,995,900 56

Individual 20,900 3 11,800 4 15,170,500 6 7,805,900 6

Medicaid 91,500 14 43,800 14 46,970,700 18 25,014,100 19

Other Public 38,700 6 19,700 6 7,661,400 3 3,902,000 3

Uninsured 125,900 20 57,300 18 47,921,500 18 22,663,100 17

Total 633,700 100 312,100 100 266,374,800 100 134,381,000 100

Notes: Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding effects. All two‐year health coverage estimates are based on the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the US Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS). The ASEC is a survey of around 78,000 households that can be used to examine state‐level trends (through multi‐year averages). All single‐year health coverage estimates are from the American Community Survey (ACS). Since the ACS health coverage module was implemented in 2008, there are no historical data available. For more details, see "Notes to Topics Based on the Current Population Survey (CPS)" at www.statehealthfacts.kff.org/methodology. Source: Estimates from the Urban Institute and Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured based on the Census Bureau's March 2011 and 2012 Current Population Survey (CPS: Annual Social and Economic Supplements). Accessed through Kaiser Family Foundation, www.statehealthfacts.org.

A 2009 Kaiser Family Foundation report, “Putting Women’s Health Care Disparities on the Map: Examining Racial and Ethnic Disparities at the State Level” found stark racial and ethnic disparities in health status and health care. Across the nation, women of color are more likely to be uninsured than White women. Using 2006‐2008 data, the Kaiser Foundation found that 28 percent of the nation’s minority women aged 18‐64 were uninsured, compared to nearly 13 percent of Non‐Hispanic White women. In Alaska, roughly 31 percent of minority women were uninsured, compared to 17 percent of Non‐Hispanic White women. The report does note, however, that Alaska is one of the best states for American Indian and Alaska Native women in terms of health status and health care access. 33

Behavioral Health Disorders

The Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (ABADA) and the Alaska Mental Health Board (AMHB) prepared a comprehensive look at behavioral health disorders (both substance abuse and mental health related) among women and adolescent girls in Alaska. Kate Burkhart, Executive Director of both boards, notes that much of the data and resources that are available are focused on low‐income Alaskans, as those are the people who receive services funded by the State of Alaska.34 In 2011, for example, 9,460 women received mental health treatment services through the state behavioral health system.35 This number, however, does not reflect the total number of women who needed mental health services, as women with insurance or women that pay for mental health services through private practitioners are not included, nor are those women served by the Department of Corrections, the Veteran’s Administration, or other federal programs.36 The

33 “Minority Women” includes Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native women,

and women of two or more races. The report may be viewed online at www.kff.org/womensdisparities/. 34 Kate Burkhart, Executive Director, ABADA/AMHB, can be reached at 907.465.8920. 35 This number is a duplicated count of women served by state‐funded behavioral health programs, which means a woman using multiple services is

counted for each service used. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), of Alaska’s approximately 700,000 residents, close to 24,000 adults live with serious mental illness and 8,000 children live with serious mental health conditions. Alaska’s public mental health system provides services to only 38 percent of adults who live with serious mental health illness in the state. National Alliance on Mental Illness, State Statistics: Alaska. The document can be accessed at www.nami.org/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm?ContentFileID=93479.

36 According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in 2008, approximately 700 adults with mental illnesses were incarcerated in prisons in Alaska. Nationally, an estimated 31 percent of female and 14 percent of male jail inmates live with serious mental illness.


ABADA/AMHB report provides population‐level data where available. We include the analysis as Attachment B. The following are some of the findings:

The population‐based rates of being diagnosed with a depressive disorder are similar among women in Alaska and nationwide. In Alaska, 23.7 percent of Alaskan women reported being diagnosed with a depressive order compared to 22.4 of women nationwide.

Using 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data and 2010 Census data, the AMHB/ABADA estimates that more than 59,000 Alaskan women have been diagnosed with a depressive order in their lifetime.

A conservative estimate of the prevalence of severe mental illness in Alaska for women living in low‐income households was 9.45 percent, or 8,448, in 2006.

Alaskan high school girls report similar rates of depressive symptoms compared to traditional U.S. high schools. Adolescent girls in alternative high schools, however, experience higher rates. In 2011, 35.9 percent of girls in traditional U.S. high schools, 32.8 percent in traditional Alaska high schools, and 44.4 percent in alternative Alaska high schools reported depressive symptoms.

The suicide rate for women in Alaska is twice as high as the U.S. rate and significantly higher than that reported by other western states. In 2010, the rate of suicides per 100,000 was 9.41 for Alaska females, 4.99 for U.S. females, and 5.95 for western state females.

Alaska’s rate of suicide attempts in 2011 as reported by female high school students was close to 10 percent in traditional schools compared to nearly 14 percent in alternative schools. In 2011, of the 19,509 female high school students, an estimated 1,931 female traditional high school students made a suicide attempt.

Data show that binge drinking (having four or more drinks on one occasion) is more prevalent in Alaskan women than among women nationally.

The self‐reported average binge drinking rate for the past five years is 12.6 percent for Alaskan women—an estimated 34,464 Alaskan women abuse alcohol each month.

In 2011, approximately one‐third (31 percent) of female students sampled in traditional high schools reported drinking alcohol in the prior month. For female alternative high school students, the rate was 48.6 percent. A low estimate of adolescent girls drinking each month is 6,047.

In 2011, of women admitted for treatment, approximately two‐thirds identified alcohol alone or alcohol and another substance as the primary type of substance abused. In contrast, only one‐third of women receiving treatment nationally, identified alcohol as their primary or secondary substance.

After alcohol, heroin and other opiates (such as painkillers) represent the most common drug for which women seek treatment. In 2011, 383 females were admitted into Division of Behavioral Health supported programs for opiate treatment (including heroin). Women make up close to 60 percent of those being treated for these substances.

In 2011, approximately 2,600 women were admitted for treatment through programs supported by the Division of Behavioral Health.

Marijuana use for female high school students is similar to the rest of the U.S. in traditional high schools. Female students in alternative high schools, however, report regular marijuana use that is more than twice the national percentage. In 2011, nearly 19 percent of female traditional high school students and 44 percent of female alternative


high school students reported using marijuana in the last 30 days. Based on 2010 enrollment, an estimated 3,648 Alaskan girls used marijuana in the previous month.

In 2011, female traditional high school students in Alaska reported using methamphetamines at a rate of 2.5 percent.

We hope this is helpful. If you have questions or need additional information, please let us know.

4 ALASKA ECONOMIC TRENDS OCTOBER 2011

By CAROLINE SCHULTZ, Economist

Women in Alaska’s Workforce1988 to 20101

1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

Employment(percent)

Women 47.0% 46.1% 46.3% 46.2% 46.7% 47.1% 47.4% 47.6% 47.8% 48.1% 48.0% 47.9%Men 53.0% 53.9% 53.7% 53.8% 53.3% 52.9% 52.6% 52.4% 52.2% 51.9% 52.0% 52.1%

Earnings(percent)

Women 35.4% 34.7% 35.9% 36.1% 36.4% 36.7% 37.3% 37.8% 38.2% 38.2% 37.6% 38.2%Men 64.6% 65.3% 64.1% 63.9% 63.6% 63.3% 62.7% 62.2% 61.8% 61.8% 62.4% 61.8%

Avg. annual earnings

Women $14,962 $16,710 $18,256 $18,838 $18,578 $19,498 $20,582 $22,172 $23,657 $25,486 $27,515 $29,323Men $24,232 $26,867 $28,064 $28,707 $28,477 $29,909 $31,243 $33,090 $35,062 $38,287 $42,236 $43,684

Ratio women’sto men’s avg. earnings

61.7% 62.2% 65.1% 65.6% 65.2% 65.2% 65.9% 67.0% 67.5% 66.6% 65.1% 67.1%

Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section

On average, women in Alaska earn less than men, and that gap exists across all industries, age groups, geographic areas, and most occupations. In 2010, an Alaska woman earned 67 cents to a man’s dollar — a 5 cent in-crease from 1990. (See Exhibit 1.)

Nearly half of Alaska workers are female, but women here make less than 40 percent of total state earnings. This disparity translates into lower average annual earnings for women and a gap of $14,361 from men’s earnings in 2010. The aver-age Alaska woman earned $29,323 — 67 percent of the average man’s $43,684.

The discrepancy isn’t easy to explain. Within the same occupation, earning differences by gender may be a result of training and experience dis-parities, the number of hours worked in a year, or discrimination. This report doesn’t examine these variables, which are not measured by any cur-rently available data source.

Earnings gap waxes and wanes

The earnings gap was fi rst calculated in 1988, when women made 61.7 percent of men’s aver-age annual earnings. Alaska was in the midst

of a serious recession in the late 1980s, but the earnings gap shrunk as the economy recovered in the early 1990s. Women’s earnings as a percent-age of men’s hovered between 65 and 66 percent through most of the 1990s, and by 2002, it in-

About the data This analysis only included workers covered by Alaska unemployment insurance who applied for a Permanent Fund Dividend in 2010 or 2011 and indicated their gender. Federal civilian and mili-tary employees, the self-employed, nonresidents, and workers with unknown gender were excluded from this analysis.

When workers had more than one job or worked in more than one area in 2010, their employment and earnings were assigned to the industry, em-ployer, and area where they made the largest por-tion of their earnings. For individual occupations, however, workers who held multiple jobs in a year were reported in each occupation they worked, which means some workers could be counted more than once.

The average earnings are calculated by dividing total earnings in a specifi c area, industry, or oc-cupation by the number of workers. This does not account for seasonality or whether a worker was full-time or part-time.

Gender and Earnings in AlaskaWhat women make varies widely among occupations

5OCTOBER 2011 ALASKA ECONOMIC TRENDS

Women’s Average Annual EarningsAs percentage of men’s, Alaska, 1988 to 2010 2


61.7% 62.2%65.1% 65.6% 65.2% 65.2% 65.9% 67%

67.5% 66.6% 65.1% 67.1%

1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 20100

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Workers and Earnings by IndustryAlaska, 2010 3

Industry Women MenPercentwomen

Percentwomen’s earnings

Women’savg annual

earnings

Men’s avg annual

earnings

Ratio women’s to men’s avgann earnings

Natural Resources and Mining 2,411 14,964 14% 10% $65,634 $91,962 71%Construction 3,124 19,498 14% 10% $31,359 $46,594 67%Manufacturing 3,094 7,380 30% 21% $19,766 $31,873 62%Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 28,610 42,146 40% 28% $22,069 $38,633 57%Information 3,056 4,024 43% 36% $41,201 $56,131 73%Financial Activities 9,412 6,712 58% 53% $38,492 $47,465 81%Professional and Business Services 12,787 16,968 43% 34% $31,155 $46,255 67%Educational and Health Services 34,350 10,659 76% 70% $34,114 $46,639 73%Leisure and Hospitality 18,716 17,071 52% 47% $12,618 $15,548 81%Other/Unassigned 7,106 6,031 54% 48% $23,608 $29,899 79%Total Private 122,666 145,453 46% 35% $27,808 $44,140 63%

Local Government 28,470 20,672 58% 54% $31,102 $36,439 85%State Government 13,738 12,918 52% 45% $39,168 $50,154 78%Total Government 42,208 33,590 56% 50% $33,728 $41,713 81%

Total All Industries 164,874 179,043 48% 38% $29,323 $43,684 67%

Notes: For industry-level aggregations, if workers held multiple jobs during the year, their employment and earnings were assigned to the area, employer, and industry where they earned the majority of their wages in 2010. Worker counts only include individuals with known gender. These data do not include self-employed workers or federal employees.Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section

creased to 67 percent. The gap was smallest in 2004, when women earned 67.5 percent of what men made. However, those gains disappeared by 2008, when women’s earnings shrunk back to 65.1 percent, about the same level as the decade before. (See Exhibit 2.)

Women earn less in private sector

Women constituted 46 percent of private-sector workers in 2010, and made 35 percent of private-sector earnings. Their average earnings were 63 percent of men’s in the private sector. (See Exhibit 3.)

Women made less money than men in every ma-jor industry group in Alaska. (See Exhibits 4, 5, and 6.) Their average earnings were highest in natural resources and mining at $65,634 a year, but women made up only 14 percent of workers in that industry. Men also made $26,328 more, at $91,962 a year. Although natural resources and mining employed just 5 percent of Alaska work-ers last year, it had a disproportionate effect on the earnings gap. Excluding natural resources and mining from the private sector would in-crease the ratio of women’s earnings from 63 to 79 percent of men’s.

The largest private industry for women in 2010 was education and health services, which in-cludes private schools, hospitals, and private so-cial service and health care employers. Education and health services is one of Alaska’s fastest-


Women and Men by IndustryAlaska workers, 20104

Note: Worker counts only include those with known gender. These data do not include self-employed workers or federal employees.Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section

Average Annual EarningsBy sex and industry, Alaska, 20105

Note: These data do not include self-employed workers or federal employees.Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section


Construction

Manufacturing

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities

Information


Prof. and Business Services


Leisure and Hospitality

Local Government

State Government

0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000

WomenMen

$65,634

$31,359

$19,766

$22,069

$41,201

$38,492

$31,155

$34,114

$12,618

$31,102

$39,168

$91,962

$46,594

$31,873

$38,633

$56,131

$47,465

$46,255

$46,639

$15,548

$36,439

$50,154


Construction

Manufacturing


Information





Local Government

State Government

0 $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000 $100,000

WomenMen

Average annual earnings

growing industries, and that trend is expected to continue into the next decade. Education and health services employed 34,350 women in 2010, or 76 percent of all workers in the industry. Women’s earnings were 73 percent of men’s in 2010 — a much narrower gap than in the private sector as a whole.

Women made up 40 percent of workers in trade, transportation, and utilities — the largest private industry for men and women combined, and the second-largest for women. However, it also had the largest disparity in pay. Compared to men, women earned 57 cents on the dollar.

The third-largest industry in 2010 was lei-sure and hospitality, which employed 18,716 women, or 52 percent of its total workers. This industry had the smallest earnings gap in the private sector, but also the lowest average an-nual earnings.

Smaller gap in public earnings

Women’s earnings were higher and the gap was smaller in the public sector. Women earned $33,728 on an average annual basis, 21 percent more than the $27,808 they made in the private sector. In contrast, men earned 5 percent less in the public sector ($41,713) than in the private sector ($44,140).

About one-quarter of all female workers were employed in the public sector, compared to one-fi fth of male workers. Women were 56 percent of the public workforce in 2010, and took home 50 percent of total public earnings. On average, women earned 81 cents for every dollar men earned.

Women’s average earnings were 78 percent of men’s in state government, where women made up 50 percent of the workforce. State government was among the highest-paying industries for both genders. Female state workers earned an average of $39,168 in 2010, while men earned $50,154 — $10,986 more.

Earnings in local government were lower than state government for both genders, with a nar-


Ratio of Women’s to Men’s EarningsBy industry, Alaska, 20106


71.4%

67.3%

62.0%

57.1%

73.4%

81.1%

67.3%

73.1%

81.2%

85.4%

78.1%


Construction

Manufacturing


Information





Local Government

State Government

50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Earnings Gap is Wider in Some Parts of the StateAlaska, 2010 7

rower gap in pay. Women made $31,102 in 2010, 85 percent of men’s average earnings of $36,439. There were 28,470 women working in local government in 2010, making up 58 percent of workers in the industry.

Men outearn throughout state

Women earned less than men in every bor-ough and census area in Alaska in 2010, as shown in Exhibit 7. The ratio of women’s earnings to men’s in each borough or census area often depended on the region’s dominant industries.

For example, in Bethel and Dillingham, where local government is the largest employer, women made over 90 percent of what men made, on average. At the other end of the spectrum, women in boroughs and census ar-eas where natural resources and mining were major employers made signifi cantly less on average than men.

Yukon-Koyukuk 71%

North Slope 56%

Bethel 94%

Nome 84%

Northwest Arctic 72%

Valdez-Cordova

57%

Dillingham95%

Lake and Peninsula 84%

KenaiPeninsula

62%

Denali 46%

Matanuska-Susitna 75%

SoutheastFairbanks

55%

Wade Hampton 78% Yakutat

87%

Aleutians East 78%

Hoonah-Angoon 82%

Sitka 81%

KodiakIsland 75%

Petersburg 75%

FairbanksNorth Star

67%

KetchikanGateway 73%

Prince of Wales-Hyder 74%

Juneau 79%

Wrangell 83%

Haines 85%

Aleutians West 68%

Anchorage 71%

Bristol Bay 73%

Skagway 70%

45 - 60%

61 - 75%

76 - 80%

81 - 84%

85 - 100%

Women's average annual earningsas a percent of men's


Note: For area-level aggregations, if workers held multiple jobs during the year, their employment and earnings were assigned to the area,employer, and industry where they earned the majority of their wages in 2010.


Average Annual Earnings by AgeAlaska, 20109


Female and Male Workers by AgeAlaska, 20108

14,100

20,231

19,475

16,100

15,132

15,840

18,003

17,981

14,371

8,156

3,183

13,485

21,156

21,413

18,510

16,880

17,568

19,825

19,463

15,623

9,168

3,403

15 - 19

20 - 24

25 - 29

30 - 34

35 - 39

40 - 44

45 - 49

50 - 54

55 - 59

60 - 64

65 - 69

Women Men

Women’s average annual earnings

Men’s average annual earnings

$5,705

$15,375

$25,111

$30,576

$34,766

$36,636

$38,336

$39,545

$38,831

$35,029

$25,589

$6,065

$19,403

$33,408

$43,118

$50,279

$54,156

$57,105

$61,619

$61,764

$56,855

$44,432

15 - 19

20 - 24

25 - 29

30 - 34

35 - 39

40 - 44

45 - 49

50 - 54

55 - 59

60 - 64

65 - 69

$0

Earnings gap widens with age

Over the past decade, the earnings gap shrunk for every age group, as shown in Exhibit 10. However, the gap varied widely among age groups.

The difference was smallest among young peo-ple. Female workers in the 15-to-19 age group made 94 percent of what their male counter-parts earned. It was also the only age group with more women than men. (See Exhibit 8.) Workers in that age group also earned the least overall, as most employed 15-to-19-year-olds did not work full-time because they were in high school or college. (See Exhibit 9.)

Women between 50 and 54 earned the most of any age group, but only 64 percent of men’s pay. Men earned the most between the ages of 55 and 59, but only slightly more than the average among 50-to-54-year-old men. The 55-to-59-year-old cohort also had the larg-est nominal disparity: men made $61,764, but women earned just $38,831 — a $22,933 dif-ference.

The widest earnings gap was in the 65-to-69 age group, where a woman made 58 cents on a man’s dollar. Earnings in this age group were lower than those of younger and middle-aged workers — because many in this age group are retired, they may not have worked full-time.

Women earn more in some jobs

Women outearned men in a handful of occupa-tions in Alaska in 2010, many of which were in health care. Female postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers, and obstetricians/gy-necologists made more than double the pay of their male peers. Other occupations with high-er average pay for women included dietitians and nutritionists, occupational therapy assis-tants, postsecondary health specialties teach-ers, and nurse midwives. (See Exhibit 11.)

Most of these occupations were also dominated by women, but there were a few notable excep-tions. Women’s average earnings were higher than men’s among packaging and fi lling ma-chine operators and tenders, electrician’s help-

Note: Worker counts only include those with known gender.Source: Alaska Department of Labot and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section


Ratio of Women’s to Men’s EarningsBy age group, Alaska, 2000 and 201010

87.9%

75.6%

69.0%

61.5%

61.6%

62.4%

61.8%

56.4%

54.5%

54.7%

56.9%

94.1%

79.2%

75.2%

70.9%

69.1%

67.6%

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICES...DATE: December 7, 2012 RE ... crime, health care, and mental...

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