In the United States, 43% of teenagers say children are better off when one parent doesn’t have a job and focuses on the family. A larger share (57%) say children are just as well off when both of their parents have jobs, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey of teens ages 13 to 17.
The fall 2024 survey examined teens’ views on a broad range of topics, including their experiences at school, the pressures they face, their friendships and support networks, and their future plans and goals. On many of these topics, teen girls express different views from teen boys.
By contrast, teen girls and boys do not differ significantly on whether it’s better for one or both parents to have jobs. But teens’ attitudes on this question vary by other demographic factors.
For example, 57% of teenagers in households that make less than $30,000 per year say children are better off when one parent doesn’t have a job and focuses on the family. In contrast, 56% of teens in households making $30,000 to $74,999 and 59% in households making $75,000 or more say children are just as well off when both parents have jobs.
Teenagers who identify as Republican or lean toward the GOP are also more likely than those who identify as or lean Democratic to say children are better off if one parent doesn’t have a job and focuses on the family (53% vs. 34%). In turn, Democratic teens are more likely than Republican teens to say children are equally well off when both parents have jobs (65% vs. 47%).
There are differences by race and ethnicity, too:
White and Hispanic teens (46% each) are more likely than Black teens (22%) to say children are better off if one parent focuses on the family. (The sample size for Asian teens is too small to analyze their views separately.)
Black teens (77%) are more likely than Hispanic (54%) and White (53%) teens to say children are just as well off if both parents have jobs.
It’s important to note that the survey asked specifically about children with two parents. Many American children live in single-parent households.
