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New Report Studies Portland Women’s Workforce Opportunities And Success, Finds That Portland’s Economic Challenges Compound Existing Inequities - 03/19/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 19, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT:

Monice Wong, Manager of Media Relations

mwong@portlandalliance.com

New Report Studies Portland Women’s Workforce Opportunities and Success, Finds that Portland’s Economic Challenges Compound Existing Inequities

The region has made some gains in outcomes for the women workforce, but more progress is needed to retain talent and productivity.

Portland, OR — The Portland Metro Chamber has released its State of Women in the Portland Metro Economy report, a debut report produced by ECOnorthwest and presented by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon.

The report finds that women’s workforce participation has increased meaningfully over the past decade, yet persistent disparities in earnings and leadership representation show that participation alone doesn’t guarantee economic security or advancement. As the region grapples with what “good growth” means in the Portland metro context, the analysis illuminates whose economic opportunities are expanding, whose remain constrained, and where structural barriers persist regardless of individual effort or qualification.

The barriers that women face demonstrate how broader economic pressures on household costs, entrepreneurial dynamics, and workforce productivity compound existing structural inequalities. Achieving resilience and growth requires unblocking economic participation of women across all backgrounds through targeted policy measures, not only as a matter of equity, but as an economic imperative for a state that cannot afford to leave talent and productivity on the table.

This report follows the release in February of the Chamber’s annual State of the Economy report and State of Downtown and the Central City report, as well as its annual State of the Electorate report on voter sentiment, which showed that the Portland metro region faces a troubling “new normal” characterized by stagnant job growth, slowed housing production, declining public economic confidence, and dropping economic competitiveness rankings. Within this challenging landscape, women’s economic participation and advancement – especially within the Portland Metro area – are not peripheral concerns but central to the region’s path forward.

Report at a Glance

2% increase in workforce participation for all women in the Portland metro region from 2014 to 2024.
Hispanic women in the Portland metro have the greatest wage gap when compared to every dollar all men earned in the Portland metro in 2023, at $0.61.
20% of all households in the Portland metro region are headed by single women.
45% of Oregon’s state legislature is comprised of women in 2025, compared to 33% nationally.
99% of women-owned businesses are small businesses with less than 50 employees.

Additional Takeaways

Workforce participation for women with young children (under the age of 6) has increased by 10 percentage points since 2014.
Educational attainment is strongly connected to workforce participation for women.
Women of color continue to see lower workforce participation rates than white women.
Women earn less than men on the dollar, but the gender wage gap varies greatly by race and ethnicity.
Women earn less than men across almost all occupations.
Most occupations with higher wages for women have lower representation of women overall, and even lower representation of women of color.
In households with children, single-female-headed households are more likely to face poverty or asset limitations than single-male-headed households.
The number of women state legislators in Oregon has been consistently higher than the number of women state legislators nationally.
Women CEO representation in publicly traded companies in Oregon increased from 1 woman in 2015 to 7 women in 2024.
99% of woman-owned businesses are small-sized businesses with less than 50 employees.

Lisa Murphy, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff at Regence Health Plans and Treasurer of the Portland Metro Chamber Board of Directors, said, “This report reveals both the Portland metro region's successes and critical gaps in supporting its women workforce. We've made meaningful progress: workforce participation is up, wage gaps have narrowed for most racial and ethnic groups, women's business ownership has grown and Oregon leads the nation in electing women to public office. However, structural barriers persist, especially for women with young children and women of color, limiting economic access and opportunity. While we celebrate gains, we must also accelerate progress.”

Andrew Hoan, President and CEO of the Portland Metro Chamber, said, “To champion our region’s wellbeing, we must also champion the success of our region’s women workforce. With the economy in recession since 2023, constraints on any parts of our community strain our ability to prosper. To achieve sustainable and inclusive growth, we must urgently fix the cracks in our economic foundation, including the structural issues that continue to limit participation and progress among women, particularly women with young children and women of color.”

-----------------------

View the full 2026 State of Women in the Portland Metro Economy Report.

Additional referenced and previously released material:

About Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon: Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, headquartered in Portland, has served Oregonians since 1941 and now provides nearly one million people with comprehensive health insurance solutions. As a taxpaying, nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming health care by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers nationwide experience health care. For more information, please visit regence.com or facebook.com/regencebluecrossblueshield.

About ECOnorthwest: ECOnorthwest is an independent economic consulting firm. Since 1974, we have worked with a variety of public and private clients across the country, offering economic perspectives on issues ranging from wildfire recovery to education inequities and affordable housing. Our clients have one thing in common -- they want insightful, rigorous analyses to strengthen policy and investment decisions. Learn more at econw.com.

About the Portland Metro Chamber: The Portland Metro Chamber was founded in 1870 and represents the largest, most diverse business network in the region. The Chamber brings together more than 2,200 members represented by dynamic and varied employers from around the region. Grounded in its mission to create opportunity and advance well-being for all who live and work in the greater Portland and SW Washington region, the Chamber envisions a healthy and resilient business ecosystem where we work together to increase collaboration in governance; engage community; increase civic leadership; and advocate for a vibrant, livable place for all. Learn more at PortlandMetroChamber.com.

New Report Studies Portland Women’s Workforce Opportunities And Success, Finds That Portland’s Economic Challenges Compound Existing Inequities - 03/19/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 19, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT:

Monice Wong, Manager of Media Relations

mwong@portlandalliance.com

New Report Studies Portland Women’s Workforce Opportunities and Success, Finds that Portland’s Economic Challenges Compound Existing Inequities

The region has made some gains in outcomes for the women workforce, but more progress is needed to retain talent and productivity.

Portland, OR — The Portland Metro Chamber has released its State of Women in the Portland Metro Economy report, a debut report produced by ECOnorthwest and presented by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon.

The report finds that women’s workforce participation has increased meaningfully over the past decade, yet persistent disparities in earnings and leadership representation show that participation alone doesn’t guarantee economic security or advancement. As the region grapples with what “good growth” means in the Portland metro context, the analysis illuminates whose economic opportunities are expanding, whose remain constrained, and where structural barriers persist regardless of individual effort or qualification.

The barriers that women face demonstrate how broader economic pressures on household costs, entrepreneurial dynamics, and workforce productivity compound existing structural inequalities. Achieving resilience and growth requires unblocking economic participation of women across all backgrounds through targeted policy measures, not only as a matter of equity, but as an economic imperative for a state that cannot afford to leave talent and productivity on the table.

This report follows the release in February of the Chamber’s annual State of the Economy report and State of Downtown and the Central City report, as well as its annual State of the Electorate report on voter sentiment, which showed that the Portland metro region faces a troubling “new normal” characterized by stagnant job growth, slowed housing production, declining public economic confidence, and dropping economic competitiveness rankings. Within this challenging landscape, women’s economic participation and advancement – especially within the Portland Metro area – are not peripheral concerns but central to the region’s path forward.

Report at a Glance

2% increase in workforce participation for all women in the Portland metro region from 2014 to 2024.
Hispanic women in the Portland metro have the greatest wage gap when compared to every dollar all men earned in the Portland metro in 2023, at $0.61.
20% of all households in the Portland metro region are headed by single women.
45% of Oregon’s state legislature is comprised of women in 2025, compared to 33% nationally.
99% of women-owned businesses are small businesses with less than 50 employees.

Additional Takeaways

Workforce participation for women with young children (under the age of 6) has increased by 10 percentage points since 2014.
Educational attainment is strongly connected to workforce participation for women.
Women of color continue to see lower workforce participation rates than white women.
Women earn less than men on the dollar, but the gender wage gap varies greatly by race and ethnicity.
Women earn less than men across almost all occupations.
Most occupations with higher wages for women have lower representation of women overall, and even lower representation of women of color.
In households with children, single-female-headed households are more likely to face poverty or asset limitations than single-male-headed households.
The number of women state legislators in Oregon has been consistently higher than the number of women state legislators nationally.
Women CEO representation in publicly traded companies in Oregon increased from 1 woman in 2015 to 7 women in 2024.
99% of woman-owned businesses are small-sized businesses with less than 50 employees.

Lisa Murphy, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff at Regence Health Plans and Treasurer of the Portland Metro Chamber Board of Directors, said, “This report reveals both the Portland metro region's successes and critical gaps in supporting its women workforce. We've made meaningful progress: workforce participation is up, wage gaps have narrowed for most racial and ethnic groups, women's business ownership has grown and Oregon leads the nation in electing women to public office. However, structural barriers persist, especially for women with young children and women of color, limiting economic access and opportunity. While we celebrate gains, we must also accelerate progress.”

Andrew Hoan, President and CEO of the Portland Metro Chamber, said, “To champion our region’s wellbeing, we must also champion the success of our region’s women workforce. With the economy in recession since 2023, constraints on any parts of our community strain our ability to prosper. To achieve sustainable and inclusive growth, we must urgently fix the cracks in our economic foundation, including the structural issues that continue to limit participation and progress among women, particularly women with young children and women of color.”

-----------------------

View the full 2026 State of Women in the Portland Metro Economy Report.

Additional referenced and previously released material:

About Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon: Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, headquartered in Portland, has served Oregonians since 1941 and now provides nearly one million people with comprehensive health insurance solutions. As a taxpaying, nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming health care by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers nationwide experience health care. For more information, please visit regence.com or facebook.com/regencebluecrossblueshield.

About ECOnorthwest: ECOnorthwest is an independent economic consulting firm. Since 1974, we have worked with a variety of public and private clients across the country, offering economic perspectives on issues ranging from wildfire recovery to education inequities and affordable housing. Our clients have one thing in common -- they want insightful, rigorous analyses to strengthen policy and investment decisions. Learn more at econw.com.

About the Portland Metro Chamber: The Portland Metro Chamber was founded in 1870 and represents the largest, most diverse business network in the region. The Chamber brings together more than 2,200 members represented by dynamic and varied employers from around the region. Grounded in its mission to create opportunity and advance well-being for all who live and work in the greater Portland and SW Washington region, the Chamber envisions a healthy and resilient business ecosystem where we work together to increase collaboration in governance; engage community; increase civic leadership; and advocate for a vibrant, livable place for all. Learn more at PortlandMetroChamber.com.