Changes in the American Family, 1950-2000

CHANGES IN THE AMERICAN FAMILY

The character of the American family has changed from one in which there is a single wage-earner to a two-earner family, usually with children, but often without.

CHARACTER OF FAMILIES

Households with married couple, children, wife does not work outside the home	Married couples with children in which only father works outside the home	Married couple household with children, both parents work outside the home	Married couple house hold, both work outside the home, no children
7 percent	13 percent	31 percent	25 percent

Excerpted from, Sam Roberts,
Who Are We Now?: The Changing Face of America in the Twenty-first Century.
Times Books, New York , P. 24

MARRIED COUPLES AS PERCENT OF TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS

Year	1950	1990	2000
Percent of Total	78 percent	55 percent	52 percent*

* The rate of decline is slowing due to the affects of an increasing number of immigration of families. Excerpted from, Sam Roberts, Who Are We Now?: The Changing Face of America in the Twenty-first Century. Times Books, New York , P. 24

Americans are marrying later.

(the following is excerpted from, Sam Roberts, Who Are We Now?: The Changing Face of America in the Twenty-first Century . Times Books, New York , pp. 25-27)

AVERAGE AGE OF FIRST MARRIAGE

YEAR	1950	2000
Men	21	26.9
Women	23	25.3

PERCENTAGE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN MARRIED

Year

1950

2000

15-24 year olds

Men Women

77 % 56 %

Men Women

88 % 82%

25-34 year olds

Men Women

19 % 11 %

Men Women

39% 30%

Increasing proportions of children are living with one parent, most often the mother. This is particularly true among Black families.

(the following is excerpted from, Sam Roberts, Who Are We Now?: The Changing Face of America in the Twenty-first Century . Times Books, New York , p.34

PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN EACH GROUP
ALL RACES

YEAR	Mother Only	Father Only	Two Parents
1970	12	1	87
1980	19	2	79
1990	24	4	72
2000	26	6	68

PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN EACH GROUP

WHITE

YEAR	Mother Only	Father Only	Two Parents
1970	9	1	90
1980	15	2	83
1990	19	4	77
2000	21	6	73

PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN EACH GROUP

BLACK

YEAR	Mother Only	Father Only	Two Parents
1970	33	3	64
1980	49	3	48
1990	56	4	39
2000	54	7	39

PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN EACH GROUP

HISPANIC

YEAR	Mother Only	Father Only	Two Parents
1970	NA	NA	NA
1980	24	2	74
1990	29	4	67
2000	28	7	65

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