Children living with mothers only doubled between 1968-2020, US Census Bureau says
FILE -A mother takes her daughter to a school.
The number of children living with their mothers only has doubled since 1968, while the number of children living in a double-parent household has decreased significantly in the same amount of time, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
About 7.6 million (11%) of children lived with their mother only in 1968 compared to 15.3 million (21%) in 2020. The number of children who lived with their father only, while significantly lower than those who live with their mother only, quadrupled from 0.8 million (1%) to 3.3 million (4.5%) between 1968 and 2020.
In 1968, about 85% of children in the U.S. under the age of 18 were living with both parents as compared to 2020 at only 70%.
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Data collected also showed that children living with their grandparents only was the least common arrangement in America, while the number of children living without a parent at all, saw a slight increase.
"In 1968, approximately 2.0 million (3%) children lived with no parent. In 2020, that estimate rose to approximately 3.0 million (4%)," according to the bureau.
It was also noted that the age ranges differed between different living arrangements. Data was split between three categories of age groups: 0-5, 6-11 and 12-17.
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For children living between two unmarried parents, 0-5 made up an overwhelming 53.1%, while 6-11 made up 29% and 12-17 made up 17.9%.
When calculating the differences between the percentages of younger children who live with a mother only as opposed to a father only, those who lived with their mothers only were slightly higher at 28.4% as opposed to living with their fathers only at 22.4%, according to the bureau’s data.
On the opposite end, however, children between the ages of 12-17 were more likely to live with a single father, at 41.5% as opposed to living with their mothers, which was only slightly lower at 37%.
Data collected by the bureau also explored the differences in living arrangements according to race.
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The percentage of children living with married parents was the most common among Asians at 87.4%, with White and non-Hispanics at 75.5%, Hispanics at 61.9% and Blacks at 37.9%.
"Hispanic children were half as likely as Black children to live with their mothers only, with almost a fourth living with their mother only. About 13% of White, non-Hispanic children and about 8% of Asian children lived with their mothers only," according to data collected by the bureau.
The bureau also highlighted that 5% of White and non-Hispanic children living with their father only did not differ much from that of Black children. Asian children, however, were found to be the least likely to live with their fathers only.
Overall, children living with both parents is the most common living arrangement across the board, according to the data collected by the bureau, despite the slight dip in percentage.