For Immediate Release
March 24, 2021
Contact:
Alex Rossman
arossman@mlpp.org
517-775-9053
Delta and Schoolcraft counties have biggest gender wage gap, followed by Livingston and Oakland counties; Eaton County has smallest wage gap
Lansing—March 24 is Equal Pay Day in Michigan and around the country, marking the day when women will have earned the same amount on average as men have at the end of 2020. In helping draw attention to this concerning issue today and every day, the Michigan League for Public Policy is highlighting a series of county-specific fact sheets that note, among other key data, the wage gap between men and women in each of the state’s 83 counties.
Nationally, women are, on average, paid 82 cents to every dollar their white, male counterpart makes. And for women of color, the disparities are even more stark: When compared to the pay of white men, Equal Pay Day for Black women doesn’t take place until Aug. 3; Native American women will finally earn their equal pay on Sept. 8 and Latinx women, who have the lowest median pay, won’t receive the same pay as white men until Oct. 21.
“This local data brings the gender wage gap home for people, especially policymakers,” Gilda Z. Jacobs, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy said. “Workers with lower wages, two-thirds of which are women, are the backbone of our state and nation’s workforce and it is long overdue for lawmakers to recognize that by passing pay equity legislation, raising the minimum wage and enacting paid leave for all.”
In more ways than one, the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a crisis that hits women harder. Women are disproportionately working on the frontlines and are essential to our nation’s economy.
In order to help legislators and other decision-makers craft policies that work for all, the League produces a series of census county fact sheets every January. The fact sheets highlight, among other things, the wage gap between men and women.
In the statewide fact sheet, Michigan’s wage gap is lower than the national average: the median wage for women is $41,546 while men earn a median wage of $53,734, or 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. That gap is much larger in some counties, with women in Delta and Schoolcraft counties earning 63 cents for every dollar a man earns, and 70 cents on the dollar in Livingston and Oakland counties. Eaton County has the smallest wage gap, with women earning 88 cents for every dollar a man earns. More data on discrepancies in pay can be found in the League’s census fact sheets based on county and legislative district.
“COVID-19 has made these gender wage disparities more clear than ever—and as women continue to bear the brunt of caregiving in this country, the closures of schools and lack of child care are making it even harder for women to make ends meet. Beyond the wage gap, we’re seeing women dropping out of the workforce altogether in order to care for children, elderly parents and others,” Jacobs said.
According to the National Women’s Law Center, women’s labor force participation in the United States is back to the level it was in 1980.
Each year, women individually lose an average of $10,000 to the wage gap— the equivalent of several months of rent— and $935 billion collectively.
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on opportunity for all. Its mission is to advance economic security, racial equity, health and well-being for all people in Michigan through policy change. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
