The article analyzes the statistical information on households and their labor force participation in the period 1981-1993 released by the Netherlands Central Bureau for Statistics. Recent developments in the household structure form a degree meter for the changing social conceptions concerning labor force trends. Households play an important role in determining the labor market participation. The article analyzes trends related to labour force participation of single-parent familiy households, dual member families, families with children and participation of women in the labor force.