Record number of US families now have both parents working full time, survey finds

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Scripps News

Posted 3:27 PM, Jun 17, 2026

A record share of American families now have both parents working full time. According to a new Pew Research Center study, 52% of two-parent households with children under the age of 18 are full-time dual-income earners — an increase of 21 points since 1975.

Meanwhile, the share of families where the father works full time and the mother isn't employed has dropped from 42% in 1975 to 23% last year, according to the survey. More than 8 in 10 parents cite finances as a reason for why both parents work full time, but less than half say it's had a positive impact on their children's well-being, and 22% say the effect has been negative.

It comes as the days of households earning $100,000 per year being considered upper-middle class appear to be coming to an end in some parts of the country.

According to a recent report by MoneyLion, a household income of $100,000 would put families in 12 states into the lower-middle class — defined as households making anywhere from two-thirds to twice the annual median income.

Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/business/jobs-employment/record-number-of-us-families-now-have-both-parents-working-full-time-survey-finds

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Link to Pew Research Center REPORT - How family work arrangements have changed over time

[Chemical Bill]

1. Duh...

Two paychecks can't even cover the cost of living.

[JBTaurus83]

2. Geez I thought this was already the majority

I’m 43 and my parents worked full time. My mother went to work earlier in the morning and got out in time to pick us up from school.

[mwmisses4289]

3. If you look at the history of work, women have always worked, especially those who were not gentry or nobility.

"The mom stays home to look after the kids" really doesn't seem to become an established thing until the Victorian era (maybe Regency era), as the growing middle class began to have a bit more money and leisure. Even among the upper classes, mom didn't really look after the kids as we understand it, they farmed out their care to tutors, governesses, nannies, nursemaids and other servants.

[everyonematters]

4. CNN recently reported that the number of voters who consider themselves independents is up

to 48%. We need to address wages and income inequality.