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About Families & Living Arrangements

The Census Bureau collects data about American families for the nation, states and communities. Families and living arrangements in the United States have changed over time, just as they have developed distinct regional trends because of factors such as local labor markets and migration patterns.

Our statistics describe trends in household and family composition, and show the number of children, young adults and couples living in the United States. In addition to these topics, our data provide information about multigenerational households, grandparents and grandchildren living together, child care, child wellbeing, and fertility and marital patterns.

Our information about America’s families and living arrangements comes from a variety of data sources, including the American Community Survey (ACS), the Current Population Survey (CPS), the Survey of Income Program and Participation (SIPP) and the Decennial Census.

Subtopics

  • Child Care: Information collected on child care through the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) has evolved over the years to include comprehensive data on child care use, cost, and receipt of government assistance. Child care data are collected about all arrangements for all children under the age of 15, regardless of parental labor force status.
  • Children: All Census Bureau demographic surveys collect information about children living in the household. The information collected varies. For more information about the main surveys and the unique aspects of each data source, visit the Data section.
  • Families and Households: All Census Bureau demographic surveys collect information about the residents of each housing unit and how they are related. The level of detail collected varies, as well as the availability of other characteristics of household members.
  • Fertility: An historical perspective showing the cumulative fertility experience of women to date is available in the June Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS). The Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) includes detailed questions about the fertility history of American women and men, children ever born, mothers’ participation in the labor force and maternity leave. The current fertility experiences of women with a birth in the last year are shown based on data collected annually from the American Community Survey (ACS). These data are available at the national and state level. (Note: The Census Bureau is not the source for administrative data on births. The primary source is the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). NCHS can provide information on the number of births, percent of unmarried mothers, and more. Contact NCHS: 1-800-232-4636 or nchsquery@cdc.gov)
  • Grandparents and Grandchildren: Demographic characteristics of grandparents and grandchildren are available annually in the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS collects information on whether grandparents live with grandchildren and provide most of their basic care. Estimates are shown for states, metropolitan areas and other geographic areas.
  • Marriage and Divorce: The U.S. Census Bureau provides the current marital status of persons, by age, sex and race, and the estimated median age at first marriage for men and women. National level estimates are available from the Current Population Survey (CPS) and state level estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS). Reports are also published from special studies that collect data on the marital history of the population. (Note: The Census Bureau is not the source for administrative counts of marriages and divorces that take place in a given year. These data may be obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics. Contact NCHS: 1-800-232-4636 or nchsquery@cdc.gov)
  • Same-sex Couples: All Census Bureau demographic surveys collect information about same sex couples. The level of detail collected varies, as well as the availability of other characteristics of the partners. For more information about the main surveys and the unique aspects of each data source, visit the Data section.

Contact Us

For assistance, please contact the Census Call Center at 1-800-923-8282 (toll free) or visit ask.census.gov for further information.

Page Last Revised - December 16, 2021
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