Wives are the breadwinners in 29% of dual-income married couples in the United States, nearly double the 15.9% share four decades ago. But after years of mostly steady increases, the number of wives who outearn their husbands has plateaued. Most of the mid-sized metro areas with the biggest share of women who outearn men are in the South:
1. Ocala, Florida, 41.3%
2. Hickory, North Carolina
3. Springfield, Massachusetts, 37%
4. Little Rock, Arkansas, 35.7%
5. Syracuse, New York, 35.6%
6. Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 34.8%
7. Melbourne, Florida, 34.7%
8. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 34.6%
9. Chattanooga, 34.3%
10. Asheville, North Carolina, 34.3%
Source: Self analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for earnings in 2019. In the 6-county Chattanooga area in 2019, the median pay for wives is 72.4% of what their husbands earn, which is higher than the U.S. average of 62.5%. The median pay for husbands in Chattanooga in 2019 was $55,500, compared with median earnings for all married women at $35,000.
-- Compiled by Dave Flessner