Definition

Children under age 18 who live with their own single parent either in a family or subfamily.

Single-parent families may include cohabiting couples and do not include children living with married stepparents. Children who live in group quarters (for example, institutions, dormitories, or group homes) are not included in this calculation.

Data Source

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2008–2012 through 2019–2023, Table B23008.

Notes

Although overlapping 5-year time periods are shown for this indicator, the Census Bureau suggests comparing periods that do not overlap—for example, comparing 2014–2018 estimates with 2019–2023 estimates. This means waiting longer to identify a trend. However, in areas undergoing fundamental shifts in the size or composition of the population, change may be so substantial that it will be obvious after only a few years. For more information on making comparisons with American Community Survey multi-year estimates, see Chapter 4 of Understanding and Using American Community Survey Data: What All Data Users Need to Know.

Data accessed December 2024.

Last Updated

2024-12