Poll: 68% of Women Aim to Stay Home

A surprising number of young women would rather be full-time housewives than career women, according to the June issue of Cosmopolitan.,

A recent survey by Youth Intelligence, a market research and trend-tracking firm in New York, showed that 68% of 3,000 married and single young women said they would ditch work if they could afford to do so. A Cosmo poll of 800 women said two out of three respondents would rather be at home than climb the corporate ladder.

“It’s no fleeting fantasy,” said Jane Buckingham, president of Youth Intelligence. “These women honestly aspire to the domestic life, and many will follow through with it.”

The survey indicated that the most attractive aspect of being a stay-at-home wife is having time for oneself. Seventy percent said they would rather work fewer hours than make more money. Spending time with family and friends topped the list, followed by sleeping, watching television or working out.

Still, some would-be housewives have their doubts.

“Although I do dream of keeping house, I really wonder whether I’d feel like less of a person without something outside the home to define who I am,” said Deborah, a 24-year-old editor.