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Statistics Show Single Parenting On The Rise
from: Karlie BestlerThe U.S. Census Department has many ways of obtaining statistics nationwide. The official U.S. Census, the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the American Community Survey (ACS) all show that single parent households are on the rise. These single parenting statistics are crucial to determining population demographics and areas where people may be vulnerable to poverty.
The U.S. Census
The Decennial Census - taken every 10 years to collect information about the people and housing of the United States was last taken in the year 2000. The findings from the U.S. Census from 1970, when it was first established, to 2000 indicates that the number of female single family households has increased steadily over the years, with mothers who have never been married now outnumbering single female heads of households that have divorced.
In the 2000 Census it is estimated that 54.5 million were married couple households. Another 12.9 million were female single parent heads of households. This outnumbered the male single parent households by 3 to 1, with male single parenting averaging 4.4 million households. This was a 10% increase in single female parent households and a 23% increase in single male parent households since the 1990 Census.
The Current Population Survey
This survey shows the same trends. Traditional family households with two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption decreased from 85% to 68% throughout the U.S. At the same time there was an increase in single parenting statistics from 9% to 28% overall.
The American Community Survey
This survey had some of the more interesting single parenting statistics. It followed the same trends but was also able to break them down by states in some cases. In 2003 it was estimated that four cities actually had approximately 50% of female-headed households as compared to the total respondents of this survey. They were Detroit, Newark, Cleveland, and Baltimore.
In addition, these single parenting statistics broke down the poverty levels from single female heads of households by ethnicity. In 2003, Hispanics and American Indians were at 46% and 47% respectively in the poverty category of female heads of households. Black female heads of household were at 42% and White Non-Hispanics at 29%. These parenting statistics clearly show the link between poverty and single heads of households.
Many different agencies use these single parenting statistics to determine need and demographics of their constituents. The Department of Education uses it to decide where to issue grants in high poverty areas. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses it to pinpoint programs for low income housing assistance. Other social programs like the National School Lunch Program and even Social Security look at these parenting statistics to help meet the needs of households that are at risk for living in poverty.
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