Comparing characteristics and selected expenditures of dual- and single-income households with children

Abstract

The percentage of dual-income households with children under age 18 has been on the rise since the 1960s, surpassing the percentage of father-only-employed households in the 1970s.1 This rise most likely reflects a cultural shift involving women in the workforce. The female labor force participation rate increased from 1960 onward, peaking at 60 percent in 1999.2 Monitoring and analyzing this trend is important, because the expenditure patterns of dual-income households could differ from those of singleincome households, affecting the U.S. economy.