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Official Website administered by the State Treasurer and Receiver General of Massachusetts

Deborah B. Goldberg

Program under Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg

Wage Equality Would Significantly Decrease Poverty Rates in Most States

May 11, 2017

IWPR // Jessica Milli

Closing the gender wage gap would add 2.8 percent to US GDP (in 2016 dollars) and decrease the poverty rate among working women by more than fifty percent. Massachusetts' poverty rates among working women would see the largest impact with a 68.7 percent reduction. Vermont, Virginia, Louisiana, and Deleware would also benefit by 61.7 percent, 60.7 percent, 60.0 percent, and 59.4 percent reductions, respectively.