According to the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), in only one-tenth of households in Germany is the woman the main financial provider.
In 2024, only around 10% of women had a higher income than their life partners, while in 57% of couples, the man was the main provider, the office reported on Tuesday. In about 33% of cases, the incomes were roughly equal. The person who contributes 60% or more to the couple’s total income is considered the main earner.
The differences are slightly smaller in childless couples, the office found. In around 12% of households without children, the woman had a higher income, in 51% the man and in 37% the incomes were roughly equal.
In contrast, the average differences were still more pronounced in households with children. According to the statistics, the woman had a higher income in only around 8% of couples with children at home, while in 66% the man was the main earner and in around 27% the incomes were roughly equal.
The office attributes this trend to the fact that mothers are more likely to work part-time, while kinderless women are more likely to work full-time. On the other hand, fathers are more likely to work full-time than childless men.
The gender ratio in terms of income distribution has not changed much in recent years, the office found. The proportion of women as main earners has remained at a similar level since 2021. The proportion of male main earners has slightly decreased, from around 60% in 2021 to about 57% now. The proportion of couples with roughly equal incomes has increased, from 31% in 2021 to 33% in 2024, the office reported.