Significant changes in America's household and
family composition have
occurred in the past 25 years with a smaller than
ever proportion of
traditional two-parent families with
children, according to a new report,
Household and Family
Characteristics: March 1995," P20-488, issued today
by the
Commerce Department's Census Bureau. Also, childless couples,
single-parent families, and people living alone have become increasingly
common, the report said.
"The increasing diversity of household types
continues to challenge our
efforts to measure and describe American
society," says Ken Bryson, author of
the report. "The 'typical'
household is an illusion," he added.
Following are other changes from 1970 to 1995, for
America's households
and families:
1970
1995
Married couples with children Married couples
with children
made up 40 percent
of
make up 25 percent
of
households.
households.
There were 3.14 people per
There are 2.65 people
per
household.
household.
One out of every
five
Only one out of every 10
households had five or more
households has five or
more
people.
people.
People living alone made up People
living alone make up
one-sixth of
households.
one-fourth of the households.
5.6 million families
were
12.2 million families
are
maintained by women with no
maintained by women with no
husband
present.
husband present.
1.2 million families
were 3.2 million families
are
maintained by men with no
maintained by men with
no wife
wife
present.
present.
Two out of three households Four
out of five households
were in metropolitan
areas. are in metropolitan areas.
44 percent of families had no 51 percent of the
families
own children under 18 at home. have no own
children under
18
at home.
A "household" is an individual or a group of
people who occupy a housing
unit, whereas a "family" is a group of two or
more people, one of whom is the
householder, living together, who are
related by birth, marriage, or adoption.
Information in this is report is based on March
Current Population Survey
results for 1970, 1980, 1990, and 1995. The
Current Population Survey is a
monthly household survey used primarily to
collect information on the nation's
work force, and is subject to sampling
error.
The
Census Bureau--preeminent collector and provider of timely, relevant, and
quality data about the people and economy of the United States. In
over 100
surveys annually and 20 censuses a decade, evolving from the first
census in
1790, the Census Bureau provides official information about
America's people,
businesses, industries, and
institutions.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Public Information
Office
CB96-195
301-457-3030/301-457-3670 (fax)
301-457-4067
(TDD)
e-mail: pio@census.gov
Ken
Bryson
301-457-2465
Submitted by: Ken Bryson *
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25-Feb-2003
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