U.S. - distribution of children by family structure 2021

In 2021, about 65.1 percent of children in the United States ages 0–17 lived with two married parents, down from 77 percent in 1980. On the other hand, about 4.9 percent of children ages 0-17 lived with their father only, up from two percent in 1980.

Distribution of child population in the United States from 1980 to 2021, by family structure

Family structure	Two Parents	Two Married Parents	Mother Only	Father Only	No Parent
1980	-	77%	18%	2%	4%
1981	-	76%	18%	2%	4%
1982	-	75%	20%	2%	3%
1983	-	75%	20%	2%	3%
1984	-	75%	20%	2%	3%
1985	-	74%	21%	2%	3%
1986	-	74%	21%	3%	3%
1987	-	73%	21%	3%	3%
1988	-	73%	21%	3%	3%
1989	-	73%	22%	3%	3%
1990	-	73%	22%	3%	3%
1991	-	72%	22%	3%	3%
1992	-	71%	23%	3%	3%
1993	-	71%	23%	3%	3%
1994	-	69%	23%	3%	4%
1995	-	69%	23%	4%	4%
1996	-	68%	24%	4%	4%
1997	-	68%	24%	4%	4%
1998	-	68%	23%	4%	4%
1999	-	68%	23%	4%	4%
2000	-	69%	22%	4%	4%
2001	-	69%	22%	4%	4%
2002	-	69%	23%	5%	4%
2003	-	68.4%	23%	4.6%	4.1%
2004	-	67.8%	23.3%	4.6%	4.3%
2005	-	67.3%	23.4%	4.8%	4.5%
2006	-	67.4%	23.3%	4.7%	4.6%
2007	70.7%	67.8%	22.6%	3.2%	3.5%
2008	69.9%	66.7%	22.8%	3.5%	3.8%
2009	69.8%	66.8%	22.8%	3.4%	4%
2010	69.4%	65.7%	23.1%	3.4%	4.1%
2011	68.9%	65%	23.6%	3.5%	3.9%
2012	68.1%	64.1%	24.4%	4%	3.6%
2013	68.5%	64.4%	23.7%	4.1%	3.7%
2014	68.7%	64.4%	23.6%	3.9%	3.8%
2015	69.2%	64.7%	23.1%	3.7%	3.9%
2016	68.7%	64.7%	23.4%	4.1%	3.8%
2017	68.9%	65%	22.7%	4.3%	4%
2018	69.1%	65%	22.2%	4.4%	4.3%
2019	70.1%	65.8%	21.4%	4.4%	4%
2020	70.4%	66.6%	21%	4.5%	4.1%
2021	69.7%	65.1%	21.5%	4.9%	3.8%

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Release date

September 2022

More information

Region

United States

Survey time period

1980 to 2021

Age group

0-17 years

Supplementary notes

In this table, “two parents” reflects all children who have both a mother and father identified in the household, including biological, step, and adoptive parents. Before 2007, “mother only” and “father only” included some children who lived with two unmarried parents. Beginning in 2007, “mother only” and “father only” refer to children for whom only one parent in the household has been identified, whether biological, step, or adoptive.

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