Abstract: Although the average work week has been declining, overall family work hours have increased. In 2008, dual-earners accounted for three-quarters of all couples with dependent children, compared with just over one-third in 1976. Over the period, the combined paid work hours of couples increased from an average of 58 per week to 65. Findings include: • Average weekly paid work hours of couples rose from 58 to 65 between 1976 and 2008, coinciding with the increase in families with two earners. • Although dual-earner couples have become the dominant family form (7 out of 10 couples in 2008), their combined average work hours have remained stable at around 77 over the past 30 years. • In 2008, hourly earnings of wives were 81% of husbands’ earnings. With hours and earning power increasing for wives, their overall contribution to family weekly earnings increased steadily between 1997 and 2008, reaching 41% ($740) in 2008.