COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INCOME DIFFERENTIALS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IN URBAN AND RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study was carried out across Bayelsa State on the comparative analysis of income differentials between men and women in rural and urban households, to examine the level of income earned by women relative to that of men in rural homes and in urban/semi-urban homes, as well as make a comparative analysis between both. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data, using a modified multistage random sampling procedure, from each of 160 rural and urban homes, giving a total of 320 respondents across the eight local government areas (LGAs) in the state. Descriptive statistics, in the form of ranges, averages, totals and percentages were used to analyze data. Findings revealed that women earn an average of N708,335.00 in rural homes and N932,612.87 in urban homes, while men on the average, earn N1,234,828.13 and N1,406,031.25 in rural and urban homes respectively. Conclusively, across homes in Bayelsa State, men generally, with an average proportion of about 62%, earn more than women with 38%; Similarly, across the state, men in rural homes earn an average of 63.5% compared to women who earn 36.5%; while in urban Bayelsa, the proportions are 60% and 40% for men and women respectively. Thus, indicating that rural women earn less than urban women in both value and proportion, while rural men earn lower income but higher proportion of the total household income than urban men.