Dual-Income Households
Percentage of married-couple families with both spouses working
“Families needed two incomes after 1971 because one wage could no longer support a household.”
Women's workforce participation surged due to the women's liberation movement, birth control availability, education access, and changing social norms. The trend began before 1971 and represents cultural progress as much as economic pressure.
Perspectives
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Both opportunity and necessity drove the shift
Women entered the workforce due to expanded rights and opportunities, but rising costs also made dual incomes increasingly important.
The truth includes both narratives. Women's liberation was the primary driver — the trend started well before 1971. But economic pressure became a contributing factor, especially as housing and education costs rose. Elizabeth Warren's 'Two-Income Trap' argues that dual incomes actually increased competition for housing and schools, paradoxically making families more vulnerable.
Causal Factors
Women's liberation movement
30%The feminist movement transformed social expectations. Women increasingly sought careers as fulfillment, not just economic necessity.
Birth control & reproductive autonomy
25%The Pill (1960), Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), and Roe v. Wade (1973) gave women control over timing of childbirth, enabling career investment.
Education access (Title IX)
20%Title IX (1972) opened educational institutions. Women went from 42% to 57% of college students. Education led to career opportunities.
Economic pressure on single-earner families
15%Rising housing, healthcare, and education costs did make single-income households harder to sustain, particularly after the 1980s.
Anti-discrimination law & workplace access
10%The Civil Rights Act (1964), Equal Pay Act (1963), and subsequent legislation opened professions previously closed to women.
Data Source
Key Events
The Pill approved
FDA approves first oral contraceptive, enabling family planning
Civil Rights Act
Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on sex
Nixon Shock
Gold standard ends — but women's employment was already rising
Title IX
Prohibits sex discrimination in education, expanding women's college access
Plateau
Dual-income rate stabilizes around 60%, reflecting choice rather than necessity