Year % of female population ages 15+ (national estimate) 1960 16.97 1970 24.6 1978 44.68 1979 46.94 1980 46.31 1981 46.96 1982 46.52 1984 47.27 1985 46.18 1986 45.48 1987 46.297 1988 46.596 1989 47.163 1990 47.519 1991 49.892 1992 49.457 1993 49.483 1994 49.566 1995 49.472 1996 49.339 1997 49.437 1998 51.884 1999 52.3 2000 52.712 2001 53.448 2002 54.069 2003 54.772 2004 54.29 2005 55.293 2006 55.539 2007 55.954 2008 55.825 2009 55.649 2010 55.866 2011 54.619 2012 54.685 2013 54.138 2014 53.815 2015 53.746 2016 53.503 2017 54.065 2018 54.477 2019 54.781 2020 53.474 2021 53.819 2022 54.701 2023 55.562