How American Families Spend Time Together at Home: A Data-Driven Look at Post-Pandemic Shifts

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally altered how American families spend their time at home—and contrary to expectations, many of these changes have persisted.

New analysis of federal time-use data reveals that families continue to spend significantly more time together than they did before 2020, driven by structural shifts in household composition, changing values, and evolving leisure patterns.

As pandemic restrictions lifted and offices reopened, many observers predicted a swift return to pre-2020 routines. Instead, the data tells a different story.

American households have maintained elevated levels of shared time, suggesting that the forced proximity of lockdowns catalyzed lasting changes in how families prioritize and organize their daily lives. These shifts appear across multiple data sets and demographic groups, indicating a broad cultural realignment rather than isolated behavioral changes.

This research synthesizes publicly available data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' American Time Use Survey (ATUS), the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, U.S. Census Bureau household data, and Pew Research Center surveys to paint a comprehensive picture of family time in America today.

Key Data Points at a Glance

  • Time with household members increased during the pandemic and remains elevated: Adults spent just under 2.0 hours per day with household members in 2019, rising sharply in 2020 and remaining above pre-pandemic levels through 2023

  • Parents dedicate 1.3–1.6 hours daily to childcare-related activities, including play, conversation, and shared leisure—a figure that rose during the pandemic and has not returned to 2019 baselines

  • Americans spend approximately 5.1 hours per day on leisure activities, with over 94% of adults engaging in leisure on an average day

  • More than half of U.S. adults say they now prioritize family time more than before the pandemic, according to Pew Research Center

  • Multi-generational households increased during the pandemic and remain elevated, supporting more opportunities for shared family time

  • Consumer spending shifted toward home-based activities and has not fully reverted to pre-pandemic patterns, even as out-of-home entertainment options reopened

The Pandemic Changed How Families Spend Time—and the Change Stuck

When schools closed and workplaces went remote in 2020, American families suddenly found themselves spending unprecedented amounts of time under the same roof. What's surprising is how much of that shift has persisted.

According to the American Time Use Survey's "with whom" data, adults spent just under 2.0 hours per day with household members in 2019. That figure jumped notably in 2020 as work, school, and leisure activities relocated to the home.

While it declined slightly in 2022–2023 as some routines normalized, time spent with household members has remained consistently above 2019 levels.

This isn't a temporary blip. The data suggests a structural realignment of how Americans organize their daily lives, with the home reasserting itself as a central space for family connection.

Parents Are Spending More Time with Their Children

For families with children, the time-use changes are even more pronounced.

ATUS data shows that adults living with children spend between 1.3 and 1.6 hours per day on childcare and child-related activities. This includes:

  • Playing with children

  • Talking and socializing

  • Helping with activities

  • Shared leisure at home

Time spent with children rose notably in 2020, particularly for parents of children under 13, and has remained higher than pre-pandemic norms.

This represents more than just increased supervision—it reflects ongoing increases in shared parent-child activities and meaningful interaction.

Americans Have 5+ Hours of Daily Leisure Time—Much of It at Home

The ATUS leisure activity data reveals that Americans spend an average of approximately 5.07 hours per day on leisure and sports activities.

Breaking this down further:

  • About 35 minutes per day is spent socializing and communicating

  • Roughly 30–35 minutes per day involves playing games or engaging in recreational play

  • More than 94% of adults participate in leisure activities on an average day

This substantial block of leisure time creates consistent opportunities for shared family activities that require co-presence and interaction.

With families spending more time at home, more of this leisure time is now shared with household members rather than distributed across separate locations and social contexts.

The consistency of these leisure patterns is notable. Even as Americans returned to offices, schools, and public spaces, the overall amount of leisure time has remained relatively stable, while the location and social context of that leisure has shifted noticeably toward the home environment.

Values Have Shifted: Family Time Is Now a Top Priority

The behavioral changes reflected in time-use data align with significant attitudinal shifts documented by Pew Research Center.

In post-pandemic surveys:

  • A majority of U.S. adults say the pandemic led them to rethink their priorities

  • Over half report placing greater importance on time with family than before COVID-19

  • Parents are especially likely to say family time is a top consideration in lifestyle decisions

This suggests the persistence of increased family time isn't purely circumstantial—it reflects a genuine reprioritization of how Americans want to spend their lives.

Household Structure Reinforces Shared Time

Changes in household composition have created structural support for sustained family time.

U.S. Census data shows:

  • The number of multi-generational households increased during the pandemic and remains elevated

  • Adult children living with parents remains higher than pre-2020 levels

  • Average household size has stabilized above earlier projections

When more people live together under one roof, shared time becomes built into daily routines rather than something that requires special scheduling.

This structural change helps explain why increased family time has persisted even as pandemic restrictions lifted.

Consumer Spending Reflects the Home-Centered Shift

The BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey provides economic evidence of these behavioral changes.

Spending on out-of-home entertainment dropped sharply in 2020 and has recovered unevenly. Meanwhile, spending tied to home-based activities rebounded more strongly and has remained elevated in subsequent years.

This pattern indicates families aren't just spending more time at home—they're also allocating more of their leisure budgets there, investing in experiences and activities that can be enjoyed within the household.

What This Means for Family Life in America

Taken together, the data reveals a meaningful and lasting shift in American family life.

Families are spending more time together at home than they did before 2020, and this change has persisted due to:

  • Habit formation during extended periods of co-location

  • Genuine changes in values and priorities

  • Structural changes in household composition

  • Reallocation of both time and money toward home-based life

The home now functions as a more active space for intentional, shared family activities—whether that's conversation, play, creative pursuits, or other forms of shared leisure.

This represents not a retreat from the world, but a recalibration of where and how families find connection.

Methodology

This analysis synthesizes publicly available data from multiple federal and research sources:

  • American Time Use Survey (ATUS): Measures individual time use while recording who activities are shared with, enabling analysis of time spent with family and household members

  • BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES): Tracks household spending patterns

  • U.S. Census Bureau: Provides household structure and demographic data

  • Pew Research Center: Documents attitudinal changes and social trends

No original surveys were conducted for this research. All findings are based on established federal statistics and reputable research organization data.