Women and Work in NYC: Tackling Inequality in 2026

Key Findings:

• Job growth is uneven: Some sectors, like health care, social assistance, and finance, are growing while many other industries are experiencing stagnant or declining employment.
• Workers of color face higher instability: Black and Hispanic workers have higher unemployment rates and less stable jobs than white workers.
• Family childcare providers face severe financial pressure: They operate on razor-thin margins, balancing rising business costs with reimbursement rates that do not cover expenses.
• Policy changes threaten basic supports: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) could reduce access to Medicaid and SNAP, affecting millions of low-income and immigrant residents.
• Funding limits essential services: City and state leaders must make tough choices in providing services while trying to address growing inequality.

Why Affordability Matters
New York City is one of the most unequal cities in the United States. Many families struggle with the high costs of housing, childcare, and daily needs, while wages for low-income workers often cannot keep up with inflation. Women are especially affected because many work in service and care jobs and face limited resources that weaken their economic security and limit opportunities for growth.

How These Findings Shapes WCC Priorities
Women Creating Change focuses on gender pay equity and economic justice in today’s economy. Wage gaps and unequal access to resources continue to hold women back. Investing in fair pay, workforce supports, and affordable childcare is both necessary and beneficial to the city’s economy.

Childcare affordability, identified by attendees at WCC’s 2025 State of NYC Women Conference as a top priority, is central to these economic challenges. Public investment in accessible childcare helps women stay in the workforce, supports families, and promotes greater equity across New York City.

Women Creating Change will keep advocating for policies that protect low-income workers, expand fair opportunities, and ensure women’s work is valued. Understanding the economic landscape is the first step toward building a more just and equitable city for all.

Read the full report here: NYC 2026 Economic & Budget Outlook

Women Creating Change (WCC), formerly known as the Women’s City Club of New York, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan activist organization dedicated to advancing women’s rights and shaping the future of New York City. Founded in 1915, WCC works to advance gender and racial equality by equipping women of color, women experiencing financial hardship, and gender-expansive individuals, with the knowledge, tools, and resources to advocate for the issues that matter most to them. WCC collaborates with partners, policymakers, and advocacy groups to drive real change in economic opportunity, education, healthcare, safety, reproductive justice, and environmental justice. WCC connects women with key stakeholders to learn, act, and engage. We empower women to lead change, shape policy, and strengthen communities, redesigning systems for a more equitable New York City. At WCC, we believe every woman has the power to make a difference. Visit wccny.org.

For interview requests or media inquiries, please contact Lynsey Billet at [email protected] or 347-361-8449.