Who is Happier: Housewife or Working Wife?

Earlier research found no statistically significant difference in the happiness between a housewife and a working wife. However, there is now an expectation that a difference in their happiness exists today given the changes in the role of women in society. This paper revisits the issue using data from the 2000s. Results show that there is no difference in the happiness between a housewife and a working wife in the upper- and low-income economies. In contrast, results for the middle-income economies show that a part-time working wife is happier than a housewife and that both part-time working wife and housewife are happier than a full-time working wife.