The days of a primary breadwinner father and a stay-at-home mother are long over. Now, it’s more common for a child to grow up with a single parent.
Zillow examined household structure in the U.S. In terms of all households with a child, 37 percent have married parents that each have full-time jobs, 31 percent are single parents, and 22 percent are couples with one full-time worker and one stay-at-home parent. The breakdown has roughly remained the same over the last 20 years. In 1970, though, most households had a stay-at-home parent, and 30 percent had two working parents.
A stay-at-home parent isn’t always a mother. Around two million fathers stay home and look after the household while the mother works full-time.
Across the country, staying at home is least common among middle-income households and appears to be a luxury for the very highest income households, particularly in expensive housing markets.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Economics
Housing Share of GDP in Q1 2024 Rises Above 16%
The increase marks the first time GDP has surpassed 16% since 2022
Economics
Shelter Costs Drive Inflation Higher Than Expected in January
January Consumer Price Index data show inflation increased more than anticipated as shelter costs continue to rise despite Federal Reserve policy tightening
Economics
Weighing the Effects of the Fed's and Treasury's Latest Announcements
The upshot of the Jan. 31 announcements is that while mortgage rates will stay higher for longer, they're likely to hold steady