Some Quick Facts on Families
The way Americans choose to live together and form families has changed
greatly over the past 30+ years. Family and household arrangements are
affected by trends in marriage, living together, divorce, childbearing,
deaths, and the economy, as well as changes in societys customs,
values, and laws.
Here are examples of changes that have taken place over the past 30+ years:
Marriage & Divorce (US population age 15 or Older)
-
More of the US population have never been married
-
On average, the US population is getting married at older ages
-
More of US population is classified as divorced
|
|
1970
|
1990
|
2008
|
|
Never Married
|
Males -28.1%
Females - 22.1%
|
Males - 29.9%
Females -22.8%
|
Males - 44%
Females - 26.2%
|
|
Median Age At 1st Marriage
|
Males - 23.2
Females - 20.8 |
Males - 26.1
Females - 23.9
|
Males - 27.6
Females - 25.9
|
|
Divorced
|
Males - 2.2%
Females - 3.5%
|
Males - 6.8%
Females - 8.9%
|
Males - 8.4%
Females - 11.1%
|
Family Households (*see definitions below)
-
On average, there are fewer children in US families than 30 years ago, but the average has
increased slightly since 1990
-
There are fewer "Married-Couple" families with children under 18
-
There are more "Female Parent Only" families with children under 18
|
|
1970
|
1990
|
2008
|
|
Average Number of Own Children under 18
|
2.3
|
1.8
|
1.9
|
|
Married-Couples w/ Own Children under 18
|
88.7%
|
73.0%
|
70.5%
|
|
Female Parent Only w/ Own Children under 18
|
10.3%
|
20.4%
|
23.5%
|
Childbearing
-
On average, US women are having their 1st child at older ages
-
More unmarried US women are having children
|
|
1970
|
1990
|
2008
|
|
Average age of mother at birth of 1st child
|
21.4
|
24.2
|
25.2
|
|
Percent of births to unmarried women
|
10.7%
|
28.0%
|
38.5%
|
* Definitions
-
Household - one or more persons who live in the same residence (house, apartment,
mobile home, etc.)
- Householder - a person of the household who primarily owns or rents the residence
- Family Household - a household that has at least two household members related to a householder
by blood, marriage or adoption. In a family household, children may or may not be in the home. Persons are
considered in the household if they are sons or daughters by birth, stepchildren, or adopted children of the
householder regardless of age or marital status.
(Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Populations
Survey Historical Series & National Center for Health Statistics
(Final Birth Data - 2007)
