A majority of American families with children now rely on two full-time incomes, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data released Wednesday. The study found that 52 percent of mothers and fathers in different-sex relationships with children under 18 both hold full-time jobs, up from 31 percent in 1975.
The shift reflects decades of economic and social change, with the traditional model of a father as sole breadwinner and mother as homemaker now in the minority. Only 23 percent of families today have a father working full-time while the mother is not employed, down sharply from 42 percent in 1975.
Researchers found that dual-income families overwhelmingly report financial benefits. Among couples where both parents work full-time, 83 percent described the arrangement as positive for their finances. That compares with just 19 percent of families where the father works full-time and the mother stays home.
“We find that parents in families where both the mom and the dad work at least part-time are more likely to see financial benefits than those in families where the dad works full-time and the mom isn’t employed,” the survey’s authors wrote. “This is especially the case in families where both parents work full-time.”
However, perceptions of child well-being tell a different story. Among couples with a stay-at-home mother, 85 percent said the arrangement had a positive impact on their children. In dual full-time earner households, that figure dropped to 49 percent, with many parents reporting neither a positive nor negative effect.
The trend toward dual incomes has reshaped family life across racial and ethnic lines. Pew found that 60 percent of Black mothers and fathers—either married or cohabiting—both work full-time, a slight dip from 64 percent in 2000. Among Hispanic couples, the share has plateaued at 45 percent, essentially unchanged since 2000. Asian American families saw a rise to 52 percent from 45 percent in 2003, when the Census first included them in the survey.
Despite the financial gains, the survey found that most parents in dual-income households do not see their work arrangement as helping or hurting career advancement. “Parents in each group largely say their family work arrangement has had neither a positive nor negative impact on their ability to advance in their job or career,” researchers noted.
The findings come amid broader debates about work-life balance, child care costs, and economic pressures on families. As dual-income households become the norm, policymakers and employers face growing questions about how to support working parents.
The Pew survey was conducted March 2-15 and included 2,242 respondents. The analysis relied on U.S. Census Bureau data through 2025.
