Mayor demographics and statistics in the US
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Mayor demographics by:
Mayor gender statistics
35.3% of mayors are women and 64.7% of mayors are men.
- Male, 64.7%
- Female, 35.3%
Mayor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 64.7% |
| Female | 35.3% |
Mayor gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$39,221
Female income
$35,364
Mayor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in mayor positions over time. Currently, 35.3% of mayors are female.
Mayor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.24% | 27.76% |
| 2011 | 72.02% | 27.98% |
| 2012 | 71.27% | 28.73% |
| 2013 | 69.85% | 30.15% |
| 2014 | 69.27% | 30.73% |
| 2015 | 68.98% | 31.02% |
| 2016 | 68.34% | 31.66% |
| 2017 | 68.73% | 31.27% |
| 2018 | 68.56% | 31.44% |
| 2019 | 65.83% | 34.17% |
| 2020 | 64.68% | 35.32% |
| 2021 | 64.70% | 35.30% |
Mayor related jobs gender ratio
We compared mayors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, district commercial superintendent and street superintendent have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant To General Manager | 9% | 91% |
| Manager Stylist | 9% | 91% |
| Salon Manager | 12% | 88% |
| Mayor | 65% | 35% |
| General Superintendent | 97% | 3% |
| Street Superintendent | 97% | 3% |
| District Commercial Superintendent | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Mayor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among mayors is White, which makes up 76.2% of all mayors. Comparatively, 7.8% of mayors are Hispanic or Latino and 7.7% of mayors are Asian.
- White, 76.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.8%
- Asian, 7.7%
- Unknown, 3.9%
- Black or African American, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Mayor race
| Mayor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 76.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% |
| Asian | 7.7% |
| Unknown | 3.9% |
| Black or African American | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Mayor race and ethnicity over time
See how mayor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Mayor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.73% | 3.38% | 5.83% | 6.28% |
| 2011 | 82.92% | 3.77% | 5.45% | 5.88% |
| 2012 | 82.16% | 3.70% | 6.00% | 6.35% |
| 2013 | 82.42% | 3.51% | 6.10% | 6.09% |
| 2014 | 82.45% | 3.64% | 5.74% | 6.41% |
| 2015 | 82.40% | 3.51% | 5.72% | 6.41% |
| 2016 | 82.05% | 3.41% | 6.29% | 6.24% |
| 2017 | 80.69% | 3.57% | 6.82% | 6.82% |
| 2018 | 80.19% | 3.41% | 7.03% | 7.12% |
| 2019 | 81.32% | 3.12% | 6.76% | 6.89% |
| 2020 | 77.94% | 3.60% | 7.23% | 7.21% |
| 2021 | 76.19% | 3.77% | 7.68% | 7.81% |
Mayor wage gap by race
According to our data, white mayors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american mayors have the lowest average salary at $38,043.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,683 |
| White | $40,293 |
| Black or African American | $38,043 |
| Asian | $40,017 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $39,114 |
Average mayor age
See how the average age of mayors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Mayor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 53 | 52 |
| Unknown | 51 | 49 |
| Asian | 49 | 48 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 50 | 46 |
| White | 53 | 52 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 52 | 48 |
Mayor age breakdown
The average age of mayors is 40+ years years old, representing 89% of the mayor population.
Mayor age breakdown
| Mayor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 89% |
| 30-40 years | 11% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
Mayor educational attainment
The most common degree for mayors is bachelor's degree, with 60% of mayors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 12%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Mayors by degree level
| Mayor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 60% |
| Master's | 14% |
| Associate | 12% |
| High School Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Mayor jobs you might like
Mayor wage gap by degree level
According to the data, mayors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $46,669 annually. With a Doctorate degree, mayors earn a median annual income of $46,662 compared to $43,211 for mayors with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $46,669 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,211 |
| Doctorate Degree | $46,662 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,406 |
Mayor employment statistics
Most mayors work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where mayors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where mayors work.
Mayor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 2% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 44% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 16% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Mayor jobs by company type
Employees with the mayor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most mayors prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Mayor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 20% |
| Private | 22% |
| Government | 56% |
Mayor jobs by industry
The most common industries for mayors are government, manufacturing and retail.
Mayor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 48% |
| Fortune 500 | 10% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Media | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Mayor turnover and employment statistics
Mayor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for mayors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Mayor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Mayor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.37% |
| 2011 | 3.53% |
| 2012 | 3.04% |
| 2013 | 2.67% |
| 2014 | 2.12% |
| 2015 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | 1.98% |
| 2017 | 1.88% |
| 2018 | 1.65% |
| 2019 | 1.72% |
| 2020 | 2.10% |
| 2021 | 2.06% |
Average mayor tenure
The average mayor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 868 mayors resumes in Zippia's database.
Mayor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 22% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Mayor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of mayors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Business Office Director | 7.93% | 83,491 |
| Inventory Management Specialist | 8.41% | 108,982 |
| Client Services Director | 9.38% | 103,218 |
| Clinical Operations Manager | 9.63% | 284,048 |
| Mayor | 11.54% | - |
| Human Resources Lead | 13.02% | 48,122 |
| Advertising Manager | 14.95% | 43,083 |
Similar mayor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Business Office Director | 7.93% | 83,491 |
| Inventory Management Specialist | 8.41% | 108,982 |
| Client Services Director | 9.38% | 103,218 |
| Clinical Operations Manager | 9.63% | 284,048 |
| Human Resources Lead | 13.02% | 48,122 |
| Advertising Manager | 14.95% | 43,083 |
Foreign languages spoken by mayors
The most common foreign language among mayors is Spanish at 53.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 19.1% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 6.4%.
- Spanish, 53.2%
- French, 19.1%
- Mandarin, 6.4%
- Italian, 6.4%
- Chinese, 4.3%
- Other, 10.6%
Mayor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 53.2% |
| French | 19.1% |
| Mandarin | 6.4% |
| Italian | 6.4% |
| Chinese | 4.3% |
| Other | 10.6% |
