It appears that between 1970 and 2000 the median per capita income of men was stagnant (again using that inflated CPI number), while for woman it close to doubled. So that suggests that woman have become more productive and are working longer. However, the percentage of over 20 adults working full time of the total work force only increased by from about 57% to 63%. So it appears that the main change on a median basis is that woman working full time are making a lot more for each hour that they work. That is hardly surprising. There are all those female lawyers and doctors out there now. It should also be noted that the average household size has decreased since 1970 from about 3 per household to 2.5. So there is more median household income to go around per person.
Overall, I suspect these factors are a wash, and families at the median correcting for woman working longer hours (I don't think men are), on a per household member basis are about 50% better off than they were 30 years ago, as I said before after reverting to a more accurate CPI figure as a deflator.
Of course, the big, big change is that the top third earners are massively better off. and the bottom third only marginally better off. That is why I insisted on using median numbers. Using mean numbers would give an excessively rosy picture as to the economic status over time of the average American.
I hope that helps.