The median household income of married couples has grown by leaps and bounds over the past half century, according to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. Take a look at the trend...
Between 1970 and 2020, the median household income of married couples grew by a huge 61 percent, after adjusting for inflation. In comparison, the median income of all households grew by a smaller 30 percent during those years.
What accounts for the surge in the median income of married couples? Some of the increase—especially in the 1970s and 1980s—was due to the rise of dual-earner couples as a share of all married couples. Another factor is the rising income of women. Between 1970 and 2020, the median earnings of women who work full-time climbed 85 percent, after adjusting for inflation. The median earnings of their male counterparts grew just 13 percent during that time period.
Perhaps the biggest factor boosting the incomes of married couples in recent years is what is called the marriage market. In the marriage market, the most desirable mates are those who make the most money. Among men, the married share ranges from a low of 33 percent among those with personal incomes below $25,000 to a high of 78 percent among those with incomes of $100,000 or more. The comparable figures for women are 41 and 67 percent. The marriage market explains the outsized gains for married couples.
Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey
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