Census Bureau Facts for Features
A product of the U.S. Census Bureau's Public Information Office
CB98-FF.10 September 3, 1998 Grandparents Day 1998: September 13 Life in Grandma's (and/or Grandpa's) House -- the Grandparent's Perspective
In 1997, 2.4 million of the nation's families were maintained by grandparents who had one or more of their grandchildren living with them -- up about 400,000 (19 percent) since 1990. These families comprised 7 percent of all families with children under 18. Slightly more than half (1.3 million) of these 2.4 million grandparent-maintained families contained both grandparents; 1.0 million had only a grandmother; and 150,000, only a grandfather. All in all, in 1997, 2.3 million grandparent-maintained families contained a grandmother and 1.4 million had a grandfather. The grandfathers were more likely than the grandmothers to have been employed (66 percent compared with 51 percent) and to have owned their home (81 percent compared with 69 percent) but less likely to have been poor (12 percent and 23 percent). As of 1997, 55 percent of grandmothers and 47 percent of grandfathers who maintained homes for their grandchildren, were not yet age 55. Additionally, 19 percent of grandmothers and 15 percent of grandfathers were under age 45. About two-thirds of grandparent-maintained families in 1997 included one or both of the children's parents. Among grandparent-maintained families, the average household income in 1996 ranged from $19,750 for those with only a grandmother and neither of the grandchildren's parents present to $61,632 for families with both grandparents and at least one of the grandchildren's parents present. Life in Grandma's (and/or Grandpa's) House -- the Grandchildren's Perspective In 1997, 3.9 million (6 percent) of the nation's children lived in a grandparent's home, up a whopping 76 percent from the 2.2 million (3 percent) who did so in 1970. Among children in grandparent-headed families, 47 percent lived with both grandparents, 47 percent resided with only their grandmother and 6 percent lived with only their grandfather. About two-thirds of these children also resided with at least one of their parents. In 1997, 42 percent of children living in a grandparent's home were non-Hispanic White, 36 percent were non-Hispanic African American, 17 percent were Hispanic and 5 percent were Asian or Pacific Islander or American Indian or Alaska Native. About 670,000 children across the United States lived in their grandmother's home with neither their grandfather nor their parents present in 1997. About two-thirds of these children were poor. The overall poverty rate for children living in a grandparent's home was 27 percent; for children living in their parents' home, it was 19 percent. One-half of grandchildren living in a grandparent's home in 1997 were younger than 6. With respect to one-third of the children who lived in a grandparent's home in 1997, the grandparent(s) lacked a high school diploma. In contrast, only one-eighth of children residing in their parents' homes could say the same thing about the parent(s) they lived with. For further information on the preceding data, go to the following URL: http:www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0026/twps0026.html The preceding facts come from the Current Population Survey. The data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Previous Facts for Features in 1998 were: African-American History Month (February), Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), Women's History Month (March), Secretaries' Day (Apr. 22), Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month (May), Mother's Day (May 10), Father's Day (June 21), the Fourth of July and Back to School (August). Questions or comments on this product should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office (Tel: 301-457-3030; Fax: 301-457-3670; E-mail: pio@census.gov).
