Both spouses employed in about half of all married-couple families

In 2024, at least one family member was employed in 79.6 percent of married-couple families. In about half (49.6 percent) of all married-couple families both spouses were employed, while in nearly a quarter (23.4 percent) only one spouse was employed.

Among families maintained by women, 79.6 percent had at least one employed family member, while in families maintained by men, 84.8 percent had at least one employed family member.

In nearly a quarter (24.9 percent) of families maintained by women, the householder and at least one other family member were employed. About one third (32.9 percent) of families maintained by men had the householder and at least one other family member employed.

These data are from the Current Population Survey. To learn more, see "Employment Characteristics of Families — 2024." A householder is the family reference person. This is the person (or one of the people) in whose name the housing unit is owned or rented. The relationship of other individuals in the household is defined in terms of their relationship to the householder. Families maintained by women or men are made up of householders residing with one or more family members but no spouse of either sex present. Unmarried domestic partners of either sex may or may not be present in the household.