Table 4. Families with own children: Employment status of parents by age of youngest child and family type, 2023-2024 annual averages

Table 4. Families with own children: Employment status of parents by age of youngest child and family type, 2023-2024 annual averages [Numbers in thousands]
Characteristic	Number		Percent distribution
Characteristic	2023	2024	2023	2024
WITH OWN CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS
Total families	32,610	32,695	100.0	100.0
Parent(s) employed	29,958	29,888	91.9	91.4
No parent employed	2,652	2,807	8.1	8.6
Total married-couple families
Total	22,605	22,531	100.0	100.0
Parent(s) employed	22,059	21,975	97.6	97.5
Both parents employed	15,156	14,991	67.0	66.5
Only one parent employed	6,903	6,985	30.5	31.0
Neither parent employed	546	556	2.4	2.5
Opposite-sex married couple families
Total	22,469	22,411	100.0	100.0
Parent(s) employed	21,926	21,856	97.6	97.5
Mother employed	16,173	16,002	72.0	71.4
Both parents employed	15,059	14,900	67.0	66.5
Mother employed, not father	1,114	1,102	5.0	4.9
Father employed, not mother	5,753	5,854	25.6	26.1
Neither parent employed	543	555	2.4	2.5
Families maintained by mother(1)
Total	7,364	7,491	100.0	100.0
Mother employed	5,614	5,645	76.2	75.4
Mother not employed	1,750	1,846	23.8	24.6
Families maintained by father(1)
Total	2,641	2,672	100.0	100.0
Father employed	2,285	2,268	86.5	84.8
Father not employed	356	405	13.5	15.2

WITH OWN CHILDREN 6 TO 17 YEARS, NONE YOUNGER
Total families	19,126	19,358	100.0	100.0
Parent(s) employed	17,615	17,756	92.1	91.7
No parent employed	1,511	1,603	7.9	8.3
Total married-couple families
Total	12,911	12,908	100.0	100.0
Parent(s) employed	12,563	12,547	97.3	97.2
Both parents employed	8,975	8,964	69.5	69.4
Only one parent employed	3,588	3,583	27.8	27.8
Neither parent employed	348	361	2.7	2.8
Opposite-sex married couple families
Total	12,823	12,832	100.0	100.0
Parent(s) employed	12,477	12,472	97.3	97.2
Mother employed	9,637	9,634	75.2	75.1
Both parents employed	8,910	8,904	69.5	69.4
Mother employed, not father	728	730	5.7	5.7
Father employed, not mother	2,840	2,838	22.1	22.1
Neither parent employed	346	360	2.7	2.8
Families maintained by mother(1)
Total	4,581	4,805	100.0	100.0
Mother employed	3,656	3,817	79.8	79.4
Mother not employed	925	988	20.2	20.6
Families maintained by father(1)
Total	1,634	1,645	100.0	100.0
Father employed	1,396	1,392	85.4	84.6
Father not employed	238	254	14.6	15.4

WITH OWN CHILDREN UNDER 6 YEARS
Total families	13,484	13,337	100.0	100.0
Parent(s) employed	12,344	12,132	91.5	91.0
No parent employed	1,141	1,204	8.5	9.0
Total married-couple families
Total	9,694	9,623	100.0	100.0
Parent(s) employed	9,496	9,428	98.0	98.0
Both parents employed	6,181	6,026	63.8	62.6
Only one parent employed	3,315	3,402	34.2	35.3
Neither parent employed	198	195	2.0	2.0
Opposite-sex married couple families
Total	9,646	9,578	100.0	100.0
Parent(s) employed	9,449	9,384	98.0	98.0
Mother employed	6,536	6,368	67.8	66.5
Both parents employed	6,149	5,996	63.8	62.6
Mother employed, not father	386	372	4.0	3.9
Father employed, not mother	2,913	3,016	30.2	31.5
Neither parent employed	197	195	2.0	2.0
Families maintained by mother(1)
Total	2,783	2,686	100.0	100.0
Mother employed	1,958	1,828	70.4	68.1
Mother not employed	825	858	29.6	31.9
Families maintained by father(1)
Total	1,007	1,027	100.0	100.0
Father employed	890	876	88.3	85.3
Father not employed	118	151	11.7	14.7
Footnotes (1) Includes families with no spouse present.
NOTE: Own children include biological, step-, and adopted children living in the household who are under age 18. Not included are nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and other related and unrelated children. Detail may not sum to totals due to rounding. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.

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Last Modified Date: April 23, 2025