Time Poverty, Family Structure, and Monetizing Time Deficits

Afshin Zilanawala, Columbia University

A long literature considers the incidence of income poverty among single-parent families. Yet very little research examines the phenomenon of time poverty (i.e. the lack of discretionary time after considering paid and unpaid work and childcare time) and virtually no research considers the time poverty gap—the difference between one’s discretionary time and the time poverty threshold. This paper extends the burgeoning literature on time poverty by measuring time poverty among women and their time poverty gaps using data from the American Time Use Survey (2003-2010). I examine what are the time poverty gaps (in minutes) for parents by subgroups defined by employment status and marital status, and if differences exist by income quintiles. Results show that single mothers and dual working parents who work fulltime are furthest below the time poverty line. Mothers in the second and third income quintiles have the largest time poverty gap.