There are now more women working in the Bath area than men, according to the latest census.
Bath and North East Somerset is among the 21 out of 37 areas in the South West where the size of the female workforce exceeds the male working population.
Across England and Wales as a whole, the male workforce is still larger – albeit only by 13,410.
Of the 65,185 people in employment in B&NES, 32,925 (50.5 per cent) are women and 32,260 are men.
The highest proportion of women workers in the region is found in Torbay, with a figure of 52.8 per cent.
The lowest rate was in Swindon, at 48.1 per cent, with the rest of Wiltshire second lowest at 48.3 per cent.
The GMB union says the figures show the importance of flexible employment policies.
Regional secretary John Phillips said: "These figures show that for workers resident in most areas in the region there are more women in employment than there are men in employment. That means that equal pay for women is not just an issue of fairness but is something that directly impacts on the economic prosperity of many areas.
"Politicians should no longer think of men as the breadwinner. They should consider the impact on women's wage packets and their experiences at work when they propose changes to employment policies.
"Employers need to acknowledge the fundamental importance of flexible working and family friendly policies as women still continue to take on the burden of domestic work and child care."
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