Most single people desire dual-income households in early marriage

A nationwide survey conducted by Now & Survey between October 8 and October 20, 2026, found that 81.1% of single respondents want both partners to work full-time during the early stages of marriage. However, the proportion of dual-income households drops to 33.4% when children are involved, and only 34.3% of those with marriage experience manage finances together.

More than 8 out of 10 single respondents stated they want both partners to work full-time in a dual-income household during the early stages of marriage. In contrast, more than half of households with marriage experience reported that one person primarily manages the finances.

The findings are from a survey titled "Marriage and Economic Activity, Your Choice?" conducted by Now & Survey, an online survey platform operated by Elimnet. The online survey was conducted from October 8 to October 20, 2026, among 1,000 panelists aged 20 and older nationwide. The survey asked 350 single respondents about their expectations after marriage, and 650 respondents with marriage experience about their actual experiences. The latter group consisted of 603 married individuals and 47 who are divorced or separated.

Among single respondents, 81.1% said they wanted both partners to work full-time during the early stages of marriage when there are no children. The proportion of those wanting a single-income household was 6.9%. When assuming the presence of children, the percentage of those intending for both partners to work full-time dropped to 33.4%. Additionally, 29.1% responded that one person would work until the children are somewhat grown before transitioning to a dual-income setup, and 23.7% said one partner would work full-time while the other works part-time.

Among respondents with marriage experience, 60.5% reported that both partners worked full-time during the period before having children, which is 20.6 percentage points lower than the expectations of single respondents. Among the 587 respondents with children, 28.4% said their working style changed around the time of their first child's birth. The most common change was moving from both partners working full-time to only one partner working, accounting for 11.9%. The proportion of both partners working full-time decreased from 60.1% before childbirth to 44.1% after childbirth. Among those who were dual-income before childbirth, 68.3% maintained the same arrangement after childbirth.

A gap also appeared between the expectations of single people and the reality of those with marriage experience regarding household management. While 52.9% of single respondents wanted to manage all income and expenses together as a couple, only 34.3% of respondents with marriage experience actually manage finances together. Conversely, 51.4% of actual respondents chose a method where either themselves or their spouse primarily manages the money, whereas only 17.7% of single respondents desired this. The proportion of those who manage only living expenses and savings together while managing the rest separately was 24.6% for singles and 7.5% for those with marriage experience.

In cases where one person primarily manages the money, 77.3% of female respondents said they were the ones managing it. Among male respondents, 54.9% said they managed the money themselves, while 45.1% said their spouse managed it. Among men aged 50 and older, more than half (51.4%) responded that their spouse managed the finances.

Regarding satisfaction, 58.9% of respondents with marriage experience were satisfied with their current working and financial management styles, while 8.6% were not satisfied. The satisfaction rate for households that manage money together was 70.9%, while the rate was lowest at 36.4% for households that manage money separately. While it is difficult to conclude from the survey results alone that the management style increases satisfaction, a difference was observed between the two items.

When all respondents were asked for the most important criteria in deciding between dual-income and single-income setups, household income and economic stability were the most common reasons at 63.4%. Other factors included childbirth and child-rearing at 18.3%, a stable home atmosphere at 9.9%, and individual career and self-actualization at 8.2%. Household income and economic stability were also the most cited criteria regardless of marital status, gender, or age group.

The survey revealed a pattern where the dual-income and joint management expectations of single people do not carry over into marriage. In particular, the changes in working styles around the time of childbirth and the differences in household management methods suggest that couples preparing for marriage need to discuss not only economic activities but also methods for managing income and expenditures.

Read the original (Korean)