Spouse Survey

Welcome to the Defense Department Spouse Survey page. These surveys are regularly conducted separately for active-duty spouses and reserve component spouses.

The 2024 Survey of Active Duty Spouses asked about spouse employment and education, child care, PCS moves, financial status, deployment, satisfaction and retention, and spouse and child well-being.

Key findings include:

• The percentage of civilian spouses in the labor force increased significantly from 2021 (64%) to 2024 (69%).
• Spouses report a financial well-being score of 56, slightly higher than the U.S. average score of 51.
• Availability was the main reason that spouses with children 13 or younger using civilian child care did not use military child care.

The 2023 Survey of Reserve Component Spouses asked participants about spouse military support, employment and financial status, activation and deployment, reunion and reintegration, and spouse and child well-being.

Key findings include:

• Unemployment among reserve spouses has remained steady since 2014 at 8%.
• Spouses report a financial well-being score of 58, slightly higher than the U.S. average score of 51.

• Military life during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021 ADSS)
• Predictors of Spousal Support for a Member to Stay on Active Duty (2019 ADSS)
• Spousal Support to Stay as a Predictor of Actual Retention (2017 ADSS)