Stay-at-home moms, sometimes referred to as homemakers, are women who are married with children but do not participate in the labor force and instead focus their time and energy on caretaking and homemaking activities. As women’s societal roles have evolved over the past several decades, with increasing numbers of women pursuing careers outside of the home, the percentage of stay-at-home moms has declined significantly. However, stay-at-home moms still represent a sizeable portion of married women with children. Understanding trends and statistics related to stay-at-home moms can provide insight into changing family dynamics and gender roles.
Some key questions related to the percentage of stay-at-home moms include:
– What percentage of married women with children under 18 are stay-at-home moms?
– How has this percentage changed over time?
– Does the percentage vary based on factors like the age of children, race/ethnicity, education level, or region?
– What are some of the reasons women choose to be stay-at-home moms?
– What are some of the financial implications of having a stay-at-home mom compared to a dual-income household?
This article will analyze statistics and survey data to provide an overview of the percentage of stay-at-home moms in the U.S. and explore factors impacting these trends.
Current Percentage of Stay-at-Home Moms
According to the most recent data from the United States Census Bureau, approximately 23% of married women with children under 18 years old were stay-at-home moms in 2021. This equates to around 5 million stay-at-home moms across the country.
The Census Bureau conducts the Current Population Survey (CPS) each month to collect employment data. Respondents are asked about their employment status, family and household composition, and other demographic factors.
The 23% figure represents the percentage of married women with children under 18 who responded that they were not in the labor force for the entirety of the prior year specifically because they were caring for home and family.
This percentage has declined steadily over the past several decades:
| Year | Percentage of Stay-at-Home Moms |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 23% |
| 2000 | 27% |
| 1990 | 33% |
| 1980 | 49% |
| 1970 | 50% |
As the table illustrates, in 1970, approximately half of married women with children under 18 were stay-at-home moms. By 2000, this declined to just over 25%, likely driven by increasing numbers of women entering and remaining in the workforce even after having children. However, the percentage has remained relatively steady around 23-25% for the past two decades.
Stay-at-Home Dads
While stay-at-home parents have traditionally been stay-at-home moms, the number of stay-at-home dads has also been on the rise. In 2021, around 1.5 million married fathers with children under 18 stayed home, equating to about 4% of married fathers. This percentage has nearly doubled since 1989 when only 2.2% of married fathers were stay-at-home parents.
The overall percentage of stay-at-home parents, including both moms and dads, has declined less rapidly than just looking at stay-at-home moms, dropping from 28% in 1970 to 27% in 2021. So while the gender dynamics have shifted, the number of stay-at-home parents overall has changed less drastically.
Factors Impacting the Percentage of Stay-at-Home Moms
While an overall 23% of married mothers are stay-at-home parents, this percentage varies notably across demographic groups and family situations. Understanding these differences can provide additional context around the factors that impact a woman’s likelihood to become a stay-at-home mom.
Age of Children
One of the strongest factors related to being a stay-at-home mom is the age of a woman’s children. Not surprisingly, women are much more likely to be stay-at-home moms when their children are very young.
| Age of Youngest Child | Percentage of Stay-at-Home Moms |
|---|---|
| Under 3 years | 51% |
| 3-5 years | 32% |
| 6-17 years | 14% |
As the table shows, when the youngest child is still an infant or toddler under 3, over half of married mothers stay home. This drops to about a third when the youngest is a preschooler between 3 and 5 years old. Once children reach elementary school age, the percentage of stay-at-home moms drops substantially to only 14% by the time the youngest is between 6 and 17 years old.
Clearly, many women are choosing to take time away from their careers during those initial few years when children require the most active care and supervision. Some women return to work once their children reach preschool or elementary school age. However, others extend their time as stay-at-home parents throughout their children’s entire childhoods.
Number of Children
In addition to a child’s age, the total number of children in a family also impacts a mother’s likelihood to stay home. The more children a woman has, the more likely she is to be a stay-at-home mom.
| Number of Children | Percentage of Stay-at-Home Moms |
|---|---|
| 1 child | 21% |
| 2 children | 25% |
| 3 children | 29% |
| 4 or more children | 34% |
With multiple children, the demands of childcare and home responsibilities increase substantially. So, it follows logically that mothers are more inclined to leave the workforce as their family size increases.
Education Level
A mother’s education level is also linked to the likelihood she will end up as a stay-at-home mom. Women with less education are more likely to be stay-at-home moms than those with higher levels of education.
| Education Level | Percentage of Stay-at-Home Moms |
|---|---|
| Less than high school | 36% |
| High school | 27% |
| Some college | 25% |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 18% |
Women without a high school diploma are twice as likely to be stay-at-home moms compared to women with at least a bachelor’s degree. Higher levels of education open up more career opportunities and earning potential, which could drive women with more education to re-enter the workforce after having kids. Additionally, women with less education may have fewer job prospects or lower potential wages, which reduces the opportunity cost of leaving the labor force.
Race and Ethnicity
There are also some variations in stay-at-home parenting by race and ethnicity, with Hispanic and Asian mothers most likely to stay home with their children.
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage of Stay-at-Home Moms |
|---|---|
| Hispanic | 29% |
| Asian | 27% |
| White | 23% |
| Black | 18% |
Cultural norms and access to job opportunities could contribute to these racial differences in stay-at-home parenting.
Region
Regional differences exist as well, with stay-at-home moms more prevalent in the Midwest and South compared to the Northeast and West.
| Region | Percentage of Stay-at-Home Moms |
|---|---|
| Midwest | 25% |
| South | 24% |
| West | 21% |
| Northeast | 20% |
These regional divides likely reflect local economic factors as well as some broad differences in social norms and traditions. The Midwest and South tend to be more socially conservative, which could align with more traditional gender role expectations in families.
Family Income
Finally, family income also impacts the percentage of stay-at-home moms, though not necessarily in the direction some may assume. It is actually women in lower-income families who are more likely to be stay-at-home parents compared to those with higher family incomes.
| Family Income | Percentage of Stay-at-Home Moms |
|---|---|
| Less than $25,000 | 26% |
| $25,000-$49,999 | 27% |
| $50,000-$99,999 | 24% |
| $100,000 or more | 21% |
Lower earning potential for women in lower-income families reduces the opportunity cost of exiting the workforce after having kids. Additionally, the cost of childcare and lack of job flexibility could make maintaining a career more challenging for lower income mothers.
Reasons Women Choose to Stay Home
Understanding why women opt to leave the workforce to focus on home and family can provide additional useful context around stay-at-home parenting trends. The key factors motivating this choice include:
Childcare Costs
For many families, the costs of center-based childcare for multiple children could exceed the earnings brought in by the mother’s salary. Staying home avoids paying for full-time childcare.
Flexible Scheduling
Between school schedules, sick days, school holidays and vacations, raising children presents an array of schedule challenges. The rigid schedule of many jobs is not well-suited to accommodate parenting demands. Staying home provides the flexibility needed to handle changing schedules.
Workplace Culture
Some work environments are not family-friendly in terms of leave policies and schedules. Women may choose to leave careers where taking time off for parenting needs is not culturally accepted.
Fulfillment
Many women report staying home provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment different from paid work. Investing time and energy with their children can take priority over career advancement for some moms.
Family Values
Cultural background, family traditions, or religious beliefs could emphasize motherhood and familial responsibility as being a woman’s primary purpose. These values shape attitudes around appropriate gender roles.
Special Needs
Parents of children with medical, developmental, or educational special needs often need to provide substantial care and supervision. Quitting work becomes necessary to meet these parenting demands.
Understanding this mix of financial, cultural, and individual motivations provides greater perspective on why a significant minority of married mothers continue to choose staying home over career opportunities.
Financial Impacts of Stay-at-Home Moms
Choosing to have a stay-at-home parent, most often the mother, has important financial implications for a family compared to dual-income households. Key differences include:
Single vs Dual Income
Relying on only one income source results in reduced household income and less financial flexibility. Extra expenditures generally need to fit within one salary.
Saving and Investing
Lower income and higher family size make it more difficult for single-earner households to build savings and investments over time. College savings and retirement funds often accumulate more slowly.
Career Trajectory
Stepping out of the workforce for extended time can substantially impact the stay-at-home spouse’s earnings potential and career advancement opportunities upon returning to work. Skills and contacts fade when not used regularly.
Household Labor Imbalance
The stay-at-home parent takes on the majority of household and childcare labor which enables the working spouse to focus time and energy on career advancement and earning higher pay.
Childcare Costs
The absence of childcare expenses is a major financial benefit of a stay-at-home parent covering these responsibilities rather than paying for outside care.
Overall, the trade-off tends to involve more limited incomes but also lower expenses and avoidance of costly childcare. Staying home has major long-term implications for the at-home spouse’s career path and earnings potential.
Conclusion
Despite declines over the past few decades, around 23% of married mothers with children under 18 still serve as stay-at-home parents, equating to about 5 million women across the U.S. Staying home is especially prevalent among mothers of infants and toddlers, those with multiple children, and those from lower-income families. A variety of financial, cultural, and work-life balance factors motivate this choice to leave the workforce temporarily or long-term and take on homemaking and child-rearing tasks full-time. Compared to dual-income families, relying on a sole breadwinner results in financial trade-offs including lower overall income but also avoidance of childcare costs. While less common, a growing minority of fathers are taking on the stay-at-home parent role as well. Understanding the factors driving stay-at-home parenting can provide insight into evolving family dynamics and gender roles.