Almost 1 in 5 stay-at-home parents in the U.S. are dads
In 2021, 18% of parents didn’t work for pay, which was unchanged from 2016, according to a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
In 2021, 18% of parents didn’t work for pay, which was unchanged from 2016, according to a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
For Mother’s Day, here’s a snapshot of what motherhood looks like in the U.S. today, drawn from government data and Pew Research Center surveys.
Among married couples in the United States, women’s financial contributions have grown steadily over the last half century. Even when earnings are similar, husbands spend more time on paid work and leisure, while wives devote more time to caregiving and housework.
Balancing work and family duties brings challenges for working parents. Yet many say working is best for them at this point in their life.
The changing role of fathers has introduced new challenges as dads juggle the competing demands of family and work.
Multigenerational caregivers in the U.S., who account for 12% of parents, provide more than two and a half hours of unpaid care a day.
Through both recession and recovery, the share of young adults living in their parents’ home continues to rise. As of 2016, 15% of 25- to 35-year-old Millennials were living in their parents’ home.
In 2014, just 14% of children younger than 18 lived with a stay-at-home mother and a working father who were in their first marriage. In 1960, half of children were living in this arrangement.
In 46% of two-parent families, both mom and dad work full time.
A larger share of young women live at home with their parents or other relatives than at any point since 1940, as more attend college and marry later in life.
1615 L St. NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
USA
(+1) 202-419-4300 | Main
(+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax
(+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries
ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
© 2024 Pew Research Center