Study Finds Wives’ Contributions to Family Income at Historic Levels

Research conducted at the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, finds that married-couple families reliance on the income of wives remains at record levels. The research found that wives contribute 47 percent of total family earned income.

Kristin Smith, a demographer with the Carsey Institute and a research assistant professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire, states that “If history is a good guide, it is likely that wives’ share of total family earnings will not return to pre-recession levels, but rather, the Great Recession will serve to propel wives’ contributions higher. It is likely that wives will remain in the labor force even after their husbands return to work, as many families have lost ground due to diminished savings, housing values, and retirement accounts.”

Dr. Smith is a graduate of the University of Vermont. She holds a master of public health degree from Tulane University in New Orleans and a Ph.D. in sociology from University of Maryland at College Park.