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  • Title: American household structure in transition.
    Author: Glick PC.
    Journal: Fam Plann Perspect; 1984; 16(5):205-11. PubMed ID: 6500019.
    Abstract:
    The number of U.S. households rose by 58 percent between 1960 and 1983, with nontraditional household types accounting for most of the increase. Whereas the number of households containing married couples with children younger than 18 rose by only four percent over the period, one-parent households increased by 175 percent; one-person households, by 173 percent; and households composed of unmarried couples, by 331 percent. In 1983, households maintained by married couples constituted six in 10 U.S. households; the second most common household type--adults living alone--accounted for about one-quarter of all households. Lone parents living with their children represent nearly one in 10 households. Almost all of these parents are women--of whom two-thirds are separated or divorced, one-quarter have never been married, and fewer than one in 10 are widows. Among adults living alone, women aged 45 and older predominate; but the rate at which the practice has been adopted since 1960 has been greatest among those under age 45. Most of the growth in the number of one-person households occurred during the 1970s. The increase in cohabitation--most of it also in the 1970s--has similarly been concentrated in the younger age-groups. The living arrangements of children younger than 18 have changed accordingly over the two decades. Since 1960, the number of children living with two parents has declined by nearly one-fifth, and the number living with one parent--generally the mother--has more than doubled.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) The number of US households rose by 58% between 1960 and 1983, with nontraditional household types accounting for most of the increase. Whereas the number of households containing married couples with children younger than 18 rose by only 45 over the period, 1-parent households increased by 175%; 1-person households, by 173%; and households composed of unmarried couples, by 331%. In 1983, households maintained by marrried couples constituted 6 in 10 US households; the 2nd most common household type--adults living alone--accounted for about 1/4 of all households. Lone parents living with their children represent nearly 1 in 10 households. Almost all of these parents are women--of whom 2/3 are separated or divorced, 1/4 have never been married, and fewer than 1 in 10 are widows. Among adults living alone, women aged 45 and older predominate; but the rate at which the practice has been adopted since 1960 has been greatest among those under age 45. Most of the growth in the number of 1-parent households occurred during the 1970s. The increase in cohabitation--most of it also in the 1970s--has similarly been concentrated in the younger age-groups. The living arrangements of children younger than 18 have changed accordingly over the 2 decades. Since 1960, the number of children living with 2 parents has declined by nearly 1/5, and the number living with 1 parent--generally the mother--has more than doubled. Most of the children in single-parent households are in transition between residing with 2 natural parents and residing with 1 natural parent and 1 stepparent, since the large majority of divorced and never-married mothers eventually marry. The changes in household structure since 1960 reflect extensive social and demographic shifts. Greater numbers of people have been reaching old age, and more of them have been financially able to maintain their own households. Within the huge baby-boom cohort, young people have been delaying marriage and childbearing, and have been having fewer children. Rates of divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing have risen; at the same time women have increasingly acquired sufficient education, employment experience and economic independence to be able to maintain their own households, either alone or with their children.
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