Economic security indicators for Colorado better than the nation, but not by much

Colorado is doing slightly better than the nation by several measures of economic insecurity, a new report by the National Women's Law Center shows.

The report tabulates six indicators of economic security for every state and the nation as a whole. Colorado's rates of poverty, unemployment, and the proportion of people lacking health insurance are better than the national averages, although not by much, the report shows. Another category, called the "wage gap," shows the difference between median earnings for men and women.

"The wage gap between median earnings for men and women persisted in 2009: women working full-time, year round were paid only 77 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts, a disparity unchanged from 2008. The wage gap makes it more difficult for families relying on women’s wages to achieve and maintain economic security," the law center said in a separate report offering a more thorough analysis of women’s poverty at a national level.
The wage gap was slightly narrower in Colorado. Women here make 79.3 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts.

Here's a look at the national numbers along with those for Colorado and four neighboring states. Click the image for a larger view.

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