Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons^™

Increased Reliance On Wives As Breadwinners During The First Year Of The Recession, Kristin Smith

The Carsey School of Public Policy at the Scholars' Repository

Among low-income families, the wages of employed wives account for the majority of family earnings, according to this Carsey brief. The analysis finds that in 2008, women contributed 56 percent of total family earnings, up from 51 percent in 2007. Also, husbands' education level and race are factors in how much wives contribute to family earnings.