Studies of labor-force participation have heretofore stressed the influence of earnings as a determinant of the proportion of the population that seeks employment. Low earnings are associated with high propensities to engage in the labor force. The variation in labor-force participation is greater among females than among males in the large cities of the United States. This study points out that high female labor-force participation rates are found in communities in which large numbers of jobs suitable for women are found in textile, apparel, tobacco, and electrical machinery manufacturing. Conversely, low labor-force participation among women is found in communities in which the dominant industries are iron and steel, machinery, automobile, and basic rubber manufacturing. It is the thesis of this paper that the availability of employment opportunities for women is a major factor in determining labor-force participation.