Women retire from housework at 84, men at 44, study finds

New data reveals a stark disparity in the lifespan of unpaid domestic labor, with women effectively retiring at 84 years old and men at 44. If housework were paid labor, this analysis suggests women begin earning from age 26 and only transition to a net consumer status in their late 80s. Men, however, reach this point much earlier, at age 44.

The study, based on the '2024 National Time Account Survey of Unpaid Household Labor Value Distribution Across Generations,' found that individuals experience a deficit in their early years, receiving more care than they provide. They enter a surplus state around age 28, meaning they contribute more to housework than they consume. This surplus peaks at age 39, with an estimated value of 10.35 million won, before re-entering a deficit state around age 82.

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Overall, women's housework is significantly more in terms of food preparation and cleaning. While men spend a lot of time on household management such as repairs, the total amount of women's housework time is still high compared to men.

However, significant gender differences emerge. Women enter the surplus state at 26 and peak at 39 with 19.19 million won, remaining in surplus for 58 years of their lives. In contrast, men are in a surplus state for only 12 years, peaking at age 28 with 2.5 million won. This translates to women's peak surplus being 7.7 times larger than men's, underscoring the continued disproportionate burden of domestic labor on women.

While men contribute to household management, including repairs, women's labor in areas like cooking and cleaning far outweighs men's overall. The data also shows an increase in domestic labor for women in their mid-50s, coinciding with the birth of grandchildren, even as their children become more independent. This M-shaped curve in domestic labor production, peaking in the 40s and rising again in the mid-50s due to childcare and household management, highlights the enduring, multi-generational impact of women's unpaid work.

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Individual housework production peaks at age 40, then decreases, but increases again from the mid-50s due to increased time for household management after retirement and childcare for grandchildren, showing an M-shaped curve.