Rising 1960 Numberof Single Father Households, Rising 1960 2011 In thousands
A record 8% of households with minor children in the U.S. are headed by a single father, up from just over 1% in 1960, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of census records. The census bureau data shows the number of single father households increased from less than 300,000 in 1960 to more than 2.6 million in 2011.
Compared with fathers who head households with two married parents, single dads are younger, less educated, less financially well-off and less likely to be white. Read more
Rising 1960 Numberof Single Father Households,  | Rising 1960 2011  | In thousands  | 3,000  | 2,669  | 2,500  | 2,000  | 1,500  | 1,000  | 500  | 297  | a  | 1960  | 1970  | 1980  | 1990  | 2000  | 2011  | Notes: Based on hold household heads ages 15 and olderwho theirspouse have children younger those than  | who Notes: 18 in are the Based co house ha biting on hold household with Fathers mon- heads who marita are ages married partner and but are olderwho theirspouse have as is children single a bsent fathers younger and those than  | Source: Pew Research analysis of Decennial Census and American Community  | Survey (IPUMS)  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 