Married Parents' Use of Time Summary

05/08/2008

In the years 2003-06, married mothers who were employed full time were more likely to do household activities and provide childcare on an average day than were married fathers who were employed full time. Among full-time workers, married fathers were more likely to work than were married mothers.
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Archives

• Access to and Use of Leave
• American Time Use Survey
• Unpaid Eldercare in the United States

To receive e-mail announcements about the American Time Use Survey, please contact the ATUS staff.

Tables

Civilian noninstitutional population age 15 and over

Note: Historical estimates (from 2003 to the most recent year) for tables A-1 and A-2 are available through the ATUS Database.

• Table A-1. Time spent in detailed primary activities and percent of the civilian population engaging in each activity, averages per day by sex, annual averages (PDFs) (2018) (2017) (2016) (2015) (2014) (2013) (2012) (2011) (2010) (2009) (2008) (2007) (2006) (2005) (2004) (2003)
• Table A-2. Time spent in detailed primary activities and percent of the civilian population engaging in each activity, averages per day on weekdays and weekends by sex, annual averages (PDFs) (2018) (2017) (2016) (2015) (2014) (2013) (2012) (2011) (2010) (2009) (2008) (2007) (2006) (2005) (2004) (2003)
• Table A-3. Percent of the population engaging in selected activities by time of day, 2013-17 (HTML) (PDF) 2011-15 (HTML) (PDF) 2009-13 (HTML) (PDF) 2007-11 (HTML) (PDF) 2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) 2003-07 (HTML) (PDF)

Employed persons

• Table A-4. Percent of employed persons working on their main job on days they worked, by occupation and hour of day,
  2013-17 (HTML) (PDF) 2011-15 (HTML) (PDF) 2011-12 (HTML) (PDF) 2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) 2003-07 (HTML) (PDF)
• Table A-5. Percent of employed persons working on their main job on days they worked, by industry and hour of day,
  2013-17 (HTML) (PDF) 2011-15 (HTML) (PDF) 2009-13 (HTML) (PDF) 2007-11 (HTML) (PDF) 2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) 2003-07 (HTML) (PDF)

Married parents

Note: Tables A-6 and A-7 are updated and expanded versions of the tables appearing in the May 8, 2008 news release on Married Parents' Use of Time. To access the 2003-06 versions of these tables, see the news release.

• Table A-6. Time spent in primary activities and the percent of married mothers and fathers who did the activities on an average day by employment status and age of youngest own household child, average for the combined years,
  2013-17 (HTML) (PDF) 2011-15 (HTML) (PDF) (XLSX) 2009-13 (HTML) (PDF) (XLS) 2007-11 (HTML) (PDF) (XLS) 2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) (XLS)
• Table A-7. Time spent in primary activities by married mothers and fathers with own household children under 18 by employment status of self and spouse and age of youngest child, average for the combined years,
  2013-17 (HTML) (PDF) 2011-15 (HTML) (PDF) (XLSX) 2009-13 (HTML) (PDF) (XLS) 2007-11 (HTML) (PDF) (XLS) 2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) (XLS)

Additional tables are available in ATUS news releases.

Unpublished tables of time-use estimates by age, ethnicity, employment status, educational attainment, marital status, presence and age of household children, and other categories are available upon request by e-mailing the ATUS staff.

Charts

The following charts provide a snapshot of how people use their time. These lists are not exclusive—they only contain some of the most interesting or commonly cited statistics from the survey.

Activities by sex and day

• Average hours per day spent in selected activities by sex and day, annual averages
• Percent of the population engaging in selected activities, averages per day by sex and day, annual averages

Activities by employment status

• Average hours per day spent in selected activities by employment status and sex, annual averages
• Average hours per day spent in selected activities on days worked by employment status and sex, annual averages

Activities by age

• Average hours per day spent in selected activities by age, annual averages
• Average hours per day spent in selected activities by age, men, annual averages
• Average hours per day spent in selected activities by age, women, annual averages

Working activities for employed persons

• Average hours employed people spent working on days worked by day of week, annual averages
• Percent of employed people who worked by day of week, annual averages
• Average hours employed people spent working at home and at their workplace on days worked at these locations, annual averages
• Percent of employed people who worked at home and at their workplace on days worked, annual averages

Household, caring, and leisure activities

• Average hours per day spent in selected household activities, annual averages
• Percent of the population engaging in selected household activities, averages per day by sex, annual averages
• Average hours per day parents spent caring for and helping household children as their main activity, annual averages
• Average hours per day spent in selected leisure and sports activities by age, annual averages
• Average hours per day spent in selected leisure and sports activities by sex, employment status, and day, annual averages

• Instructions for Extracting Data Series—Quick, easy instructions on how to extract American Time Use Survey (ATUS) data series.

Database

Database Name	Special Notice	Top Picks	Data Finder	One Screen	Multi- Screen	Tables	Text Files
American Time Use Survey (ATUS)

Historical Tables

Table Name	Tables
American Time Use Survey (ATUS) Historical News Release Tables
American Time Use Survey (ATUS) Results
Historical 'A-1' Tables
Time spent in detailed primary activities, and percent of the civilian population engaging in each activity, averages per day
Historical 'A-2' Tables
Time spent in detailed primary activities, and percent of the civilian population engaging in each activity, averages per day on weekdays and weekend days

More Tools

• Series Report — Already know the series identifier for the statistic you want? Use this shortcut to retrieve your data.
• Series ID Spreadsheets: A Tables — Spreadsheets with series IDs corresponding to estimates published on tables A-1 and A-2, which provide time-use estimates for over 100 activities by sex and day of week. Series IDs are available by age, employment status, and parental status.

Data Files

• American Time Use Survey—2018 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2017 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2016 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2015 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2014 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2013 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2012 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2011 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2010 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2009 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2008 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2007 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2006 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2005 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2004 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2003 Microdata files

• American Time Use Survey—2003-2018 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2003-2017 Microdata files
• The 2003-2016 American Time Use Survey Microdata files have been archived. The newer multi-year microdata files listed above include data from the 2003-2016 ATUS.

• American Time Use Survey—Well-Being Module Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—Leave Module Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—Eating & Health Module Microdata files
• For more information about ATUS Modules, please see the ATUS Modules page.

How to use ATUS microdata files

Survey Documentation

Data files do not contain time-use estimates. Time-use estimates are available from:

• ATUS News Releases
• ATUS Database
• ATUS Tables
• ATUS Charts

Survey Documentation

• ATUS User's Guide (PDF)
• ATUS Coding Lexicons
• ATUS Data Dictionaries
• ATUS Questionnaires
• ATUS Coding Rules Manuals
• ATUS Frequently Used Variables (PDF)
• Changes between the ATUS Single-Year Data Files (PDF)
• Conversion Chart: Fraction of an Hour to Minutes (PDF)
• Census Industry and Occupation Codes
• Handbook of Methods: American Time Use Survey

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a time-use survey?
2. When did the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) begin?
3. Who conducts the ATUS?
4. Who is asked to respond to the ATUS?
5. I was asked to participate in the ATUS. Where can I find more information about participating in the survey?
6. Who uses the information from the ATUS?
7. How often are ATUS data published?

All ATUS FAQs »

Email: ATUS staff
Telephone number: (202) 691-6339
Fax number: (202) 691-6426
Postal address: American Time Use Survey
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Suite 4675
Washington, DC 20212-0001