NEW YORK, NY — Wives in the New Jersey tri-state area might have thought they were overthinking the situation, but it’s true. Your husband has more free time than you do, even though you both work full time jobs and have a lot to do around the house after work.
A Pew Research Center analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data reveals gender disparities in leisure time among employed, married Americans. The study found that husbands average 28 hours of leisure weekly, while wives average 26 hours.
In households with children, the gap widens, particularly for those with kids under five, where fathers enjoy 24.6 hours of leisure compared to mothers’ 20.1 hours per week. Without children under 18, the difference shrinks, but men still lead by 1.6 hours.
The type of leisure activities also shows variation by gender. Men predominantly spend more time relaxing and watching TV, averaging 15.5 hours weekly, while women lead slightly in socializing, with 4.2 hours per week compared to men’s 3.5.
Despite these differences, both men and women spend similar amounts of time on sports and physical activities. Additionally, employed wives tend to sleep more than their male counterparts, averaging 60.3 hours of sleep per week over men’s 58.8.
The data underscores the need for a balanced approach to leisure among working, married adults and points to the persistent gender gap in how free time is spent, especially among parents.