A record 52% of different-sex couples with children under age 18 had both parents working full time in 2025, according to a recent Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
This marks the first time a majority of such families have dual full-time earners, up from 31% in 1975 and 46% a decade ago. The share of families with a full-time working father and a mother not employed fell to 23% from 42% over the same period.
Dual Full-Time Earners Become the Norm
Pew Research Center’s analysis shows the shift has accelerated in recent years. Among two-parent households with children under 18, dual full-time arrangements reached 52% in 2025.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2025, both spouses were employed in 49.1% of all married-couple families, down slightly from 49.6% the prior year. Among married-couple families with children, the figure for both parents being employed is higher, at 66.3%.
Historical Comparison
In 1975, only 31% of two-parent families had both parents working full time. That share rose steadily through the 1980s and 1990s before stabilizing and then climbing again in the 2010s. The traditional single-earner model (father full-time, mother not employed) dominated in the mid-20th century but has declined sharply, per Pew Research analysis.
Marriage rates have also fallen. Fewer than half of U.S. households (47%) were married-couple households in 2025, down from 66% 50 years earlier, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The marriage rate stood at 6.1 per 1,000 population in recent CDC data.
Lower marriage rates mean that the two-parent families that still form today are more likely to be dual-earner households, according to the Brookings Institution. Married couples — especially those with higher incomes and college degrees — are more likely to have both parents working full time.
Driving Factors for Dual Incomes
Rising costs for housing, childcare, and education have pushed many families toward two full-time incomes. Pew found that 83% of dual full-time parents said the arrangement benefits their family’s finances.
Women’s labor force participation has increased significantly since the 1970s, driven by expanded opportunities in service and professional sectors, higher education attainment, and changing social norms. Employed mothers are more likely to work full-time today than in previous decades.
Lower Marriage Rates and Broader Impacts
The U.S. Census Bureau noted that married-couple households fell below 50% for the first time in recent years. Declines are more pronounced among lower- and middle-income groups.
Economists link lower marriage rates to economic pressures, including wage stagnation for some male workers and rising housing costs that make family formation more challenging. Dual-earner married households often have higher combined incomes, whereas single-parent and cohabiting households exhibit different economic outcomes.
Future Considerations
As dual full-time arrangements become standard, families report trade-offs in time for childcare and household duties. Pew data indicate many parents value the financial gains while noting challenges in balancing work and family.
No single factor fully explains the trend. Economic necessity, expanded opportunities for women, and evolving household structures all play documented roles in the data from Pew, BLS, and the Census Bureau.
