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The Economic Self-Sufficiency and Security of Women in San Diego County
Exploring Opportunities for Impact
October, 2009 Val Nash & Associates
Women Give San Diego sponsored a current and comprehensive scan of the status of the economic health of women in San Diego County. We specifically determined the challenges, issues and needs of the economic security, self-sufficiency and development of women in SD County with a focus on populations of women unique to San Diego such as the elderly, immigrants and refugees, military women, newly unemployed, homeless, and the working poor. (This survey is available upon request).
Women have made considerable progress with respect to economic equality however, an analysis of earnings, employment trends and poverty rates at National, State and Local levels reveal inequalities that persist even as women's participation and penetration in the economy broadens. While many women have benefitted from the labor force and social changes that have occurred over the past few decades many more have not.
The economic status of women is closely tied to the overall well being of women of all ages and their families. Women workers, businesswomen and entrepreneurs play an important role in the growth, success and vitality of the economy. The recent economic recession is also having a severe and disproportionate impact on many women and exposing significant flaws in our financial systems and social safety nets.
Among the 1.6 million women and girls who call San Diego home:
- More than 1 million are women of “working age”
- More than 350,000 are foreign born women
- More than 200,000 are 65 and older
- More than 90,000 are women who are undocumented/unauthorized
- Close to 80,000 are single mothers with children under 18 years
- Approximately 11,500 are active duty military, 22,609 female veterans, and at least 50,000 more military wives
- At least 60,000 are currently unemployed
- Gender disparities remain and the current economic situation is exacerbating problems that many women face in securing living wage employment and building assets.
- The current economic climate combined with pre-existing gender inequalities have also created an almost “perfect storm” of need: low incomes, limited employment prospects, and non-existent or diminished assets.
- Groups of women unique to San Diego County that could benefit from Philanthropic investment include;
- Immigrant, Undocumented/Unauthorized Immigrant, and Refugee Women
- Low-Income and Working Poor Women
- Elderly Women
- Military
- Women in the managerial and professional ranks are segregated within the lowest paying occupations.
- At $33,300 per year, SD County’s full-time working women’s pay falls $7,200 short of the $45,000 average annual pay of full-time working men in the County.
- This shortfall is even higher when African-American, Latina, and Native Indian women are put into the equation.
- Women of color are especially vulnerable in San Diego County and are much more likely to live in poverty (17% live in poverty) than white women (8% live in poverty).
- The majority of high paying jobs in San Diego are in industry clusters that are dominated by men.
- Women in California have less access to state funding for microenterprise than in other states.
- A greater percentage of San Diego women are employed part-time than men, and women in the US as a whole, resulting in less wage income, less access to benefits, less job security and less wealth for these women.
- The Median Income for a woman in San Diego is $38,680; the income needed for a single parent with one child to meet the basic living expenses in San Diego is $39,907.
- There are approximately 34,500 foreign born single mothers in San Diego (15% of foreign born families) with median earnings of $26,274; 33% live at or below the poverty level and 33% have less than a high school diploma
- 42% of elderly women living in San Diego (more than 130,000 individuals) do not have sufficient income to meet their basic needs.
- Since 1990, the local economy has created eight times more low-paying jobs (median age $24,547) than high-paying jobs (median $79,764). For example, a typical two-bedroom apartment in San Diego County rents for $1,205 a month. For a family to be able to afford this, they would need to make three times the minimum wage.
- There is clear and compelling need to focus on meeting the economic self-sufficiency and security needs of women in San Diego, with particular attention to low-income women, women of color and elderly women.
- There is ample reason and room in San Diego’s philanthropic arena for a funding entity that is:
- Focused on improving the lives of women throughout San Diego County and is
- Led by women
