USU report finds Utah women's poverty rate of 8.8%, below the national 13.3%
Poverty among Utah female-headed households with children under 5 fell from 49.6% to 32.9% over a decade, the report says.
Based on reporting by Cache Valley Daily. Read the original story →
Utah State University's Utah Women & Leadership Project has released a research snapshot, "Poverty Among Utah Women: A 2026 Update," that reports 8.8% of Utah women live in poverty compared with 13.3% of women nationally, Cache Valley Daily reported. The statewide poverty rate is 8.3%, and Utah ranks among the lowest-poverty states. [1]
The report, which draws on recent American Community Survey data, compares trends since the project's first poverty snapshot in 2016. Poverty among female-headed households with children under 5 fell from 49.6% to 32.9%. Susan R. Madsen, the project's founding director and a coauthor, said many women still face wage gaps, occupational segregation, caregiving duties and rising housing costs. She said Utah women earn 74 cents for every dollar men earn and face the nation's largest lifetime pay gap. [1]
Utah women hold more bachelor's degrees than men, 26.2% to 24.8%, but men hold more graduate and professional degrees, the report says. It also notes that lawmakers appropriated $6 million in 2025 for new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families programs aimed at moving families from public benefits to work. Madsen called for continued focus on prevention, early intervention and access to mental health care. [1]
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