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Overview

Just over two-thirds (67 percent) of the nation’s 73.7 million children younger than 18 lived with two married parents in 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau reports. There were 12.9 million one-parent families: 10.4 million headed by single mothers and 2.5 million led by single fathers.

In 2004, 61 percent of children lived with their biological parents, regardless of their marital status, another Census study shows. Overall, 94 percent of children lived with at least one biological parent. In nine out of 10 cases, it was the mother. And 79 percent of all children lived with at least one sibling.

About 5.7 million children, or 8 percent of the total, lived in a household that included a grandparent. Some 3.7 million youngsters lived in the grandparent’s home. Of these, about 2.2 million, or 60 percent, had a parent present.

One in five (20 percent) U.S. children has at least one foreign-born parent; they are the fastest growing segment of the child population. Four in five are U.S. citizens and three in four are fluent in English, a 2007 research brief from Child Trends and the Center for Social and Demographic Analysis says. (See “Children in America's Newcomer Families.”) Census projects that non-Hispanic white children will be the minority after 2030.

The median household income rose to $48,2000 in 2006, Census reports, though family income growth has slowed. Nearly two in five children, or 39 percent, lived in low-income families. Meanwhile, the poverty rate declined for the first time this decade, from 12.6 percent in 2005 to 12.3 percent in 2006. However, the child poverty rate was 17.4 percent.

In 37 states, a higher percentage of rural children lived in poverty in 2007 than in 2000, a Carsey Institute report shows. The rural child poverty rate was 22 percent nationwide. It was highest in the South (27 percent) and, within that region, highest in Mississippi (35 percent).

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Fast Facts

Government Sources

Other Sources & Resources

Additional Information

Fast Facts

The nation’s immigrant population – including legal and illegal arrivals – reached a record 37.9 million in 2007, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.The center finds the poverty rate for immigrants and their U.S.-born minor children is 17 percent, nearly 50 percent higher than the rate for natives and their children.

Of children in immigrant families, 40 percent have origins in Mexico – more than any other sending country, the "Children in America's Newcomer Families" report says. They constitute the largest newcomer group in 26 states, but recent immigrants from around the globe are scattering in communities throughout the country. (Report includes state-level data.)

Nearly one in 10 of the nation’s 3,141 counties has a minority population greater than 50 percent, the U.S. Census reports.

Government Sources

Board on Children, Youth and Families, The National Academies; http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bocyf/

The BOCYF addresses policy-relevant issues related to the health and development of children, youth and families. Its research encompasses: child health and health care services; family support, child care and early child development; preschool education; youth development; child abuse, family violence and child welfare; and preventing underage drinking and other risky behaviors. The board is a joint collaborative of the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine.

Contact: Rosemary Chalk, director, 202.334.1935; rchalk@nas.edu

Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics; www.ChildStats.gov

A collaboration of federal agencies and departments, the forum fosters coordination in collecting and reporting federal statistics on family and social environment, economic circumstances, health and health care, physical environment and safety, behavior and education. Data are compiled in the forum’s annual report, “America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-being,” released each July. (2007 data)

Contact: Shara Godiwalla, forum director, 301.458.4256; sgodiwalla@cdc.gov. Or contact agency representatives.

National Center for Health Statistics; http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/

Part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the center tracks births, deaths, marriages and divorces. It includes profiles by state.

Contact: 301.458.4800; paoquery@cdc.gov

U.S. Census Bureau; www.census.gov

Demographic characteristics of the nation’s households and families, including its foreign-born population, are collected annually in the March Current Population Survey. More detail on household and family characteristics for states, metropolitan areas and other geographic locations is collected in the decennial census.

Contact: Public information, 301.763.3030; pio@census.gov

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

Formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service, USCIS provides several resources on the immigrant population:

-Statistics on legal immigrants, refugees, asylees, temporary admissions, naturalization, and enforcement;

-Information on processing immigrant visas, naturalization and more.

Other Sources and Resources

Annie E. Casey Foundation; www.aecf.org

The Baltimore-based foundation’s primary mission is to foster public policies, human-service reforms and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of vulnerable children and families. Its annual Kids Count Data Book compiles national and state-by-state indicators of child well-being. Its investments in immigrant and refugee families aim to increase English proficiency; improve access to public benefits, work supports and quality schools; and help those with limited English proficiency develop strong credit histories.

Contact: Sue Lin Chong, public affairs manager, 410.223.2836; media@aecf.org 

The Brookings Institution; www.brookings.edu

The nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank conducts high-quality, independent research. Its Center on Children and Families – directed by Ron Haskins and Isabel V. Sawhill – studies policies on the well-being of America’s children and their parents, especially children in less-advantaged families. Brookings’ Metropolitan Policy Program provides information on the changing demographic composition of urban areas and states as well as the country overall. It also weighs in on naturalization and citizenship issues, international migration, immigration policy and urban and metropolitan change.

Contact: press office, 202.797.6105; communications@brookings.edu

Carsey Institute, University of New Hampshire; www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu

The institute conducts research into challenges facing families and communities in New England and across the nation. It sponsors interdisciplinary research documenting trends and conditions in rural America, including those affecting children.

Contact: Amy Sterndale, communications director, 603.862.4650; amy.sterndale@unh.edu  

CensusScope.org; www.censusscope.org

A tool for investigating Census 2000 and U.S. demographic trends, the site offers

data and charts dating to at least 1980 and sometimes earlier. It has information on an expanding list of topics, including population growth, population by race, age structure, family structure and income. It includes multirace profiles. The site is a product of the Social Science Data Network, based at the University of Michigan’s Population Studies Center (see below) and directed by demographer William H. Frey.

Contact: 734.763.4935

Center for Community Change; http://www.communitychange.org/

The Center for Community Change works with community-based organizations around the country fighting for access to housing, better jobs, economic development, and a voice in their neighborhoods.The organization offers technical assistance and training programs to build effective organizational skills and techniques.

Contact: Germonique Jones, communications director, 202.339.9331;
gjones@www.communitychange.org

Center for Immigration Studies; www.cis.org

The center supports admitting fewer immigrants to the United States but providing “a warmer welcome” for those who’ve been admitted. It conducts research and policy analysis of the economic, social, demographic, fiscal and other impacts of immigration on the U.S. Research director Steven Camarota is author of the report that found that immigrants and their U.S.-born children account for one in four people living in poverty, and have contributed to nearly three-fourths of the increase in the uninsured population since 1989.

Contact: 202.466-8185; center@cis.org

Child Trends; www.childtrends.org

The nonprofit organization conducts social science research on children and youth. Its many research areas include those on indicators of child well-being plus marriage and family. Its data bank contains statistics and data sources on foster care, child poverty and numerous other subjects.

Contact: David Carrier, outreach director, 202.572.6138; DCarrier@childtrends.org

Federation for American Immigration Reform; www.fairus.org

The national, nonprofit membership organization pushes to tighten border security and to stop illegal immigration.

Contact: Bob Dane, communications director, 202.328.7004; bdane@fairus.org

Foundation for Child Development; www.fcd-us.org

Based in New York City, the private philanthropy seeks to understand children, particularly the disadvantaged, and to promote their well-being. Its PK-3 Initiative supports preschool and encourages aligning curricula to meet children’s developmental needs, especially through third grade. The foundation’s New American Children Initiative focuses on the special challenges facing children in immigrant families. And its Child Well-Being Index paints a composite picture of children over time.

Contact: 212.213.8337; info@fcd-us.org

Immigrant Policy Project, National Conference of State Legislatures; www.ncsl.org

The nonpartisan project represents the interests of local and state governments in dealing with federal immigration policies and programs. Based at NCSL’s offices in Washington, D.C., it’s a collaborative effort with five other organizations: the National Governors’ Association, the National Association of Counties, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities and the American Public Human Services Association.

Contact: Ann Morse, program manager, 202.624.8697; ann.morse@ncsl.org. Or, contact media relations, 202.624.8667 (Washington) or 303.856.1412 (Denver); press-room@ncsl.org

Immigration Studies, New York University; http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/immigration/

Immigration Studies @ NYU is devoted to the scholarly study of immigration with a focus on children, youth and families. It conducts basic research that is comparative, interdisciplinary and longitudinal. Its co-directors are Carola Suarez-Orozco, professor of applied psychology, and Marcelo M. Suarez-Orozco, a professor of globalization and education. Earlier, she co-directed the Harvard Longitudinal Immigrant Student Adaptation Study, examining adjustments of Central American, Chinese, Dominican, Haitian and Mexican immigrant adolescents to U.S. schools.

Contact: 212.998.5282; cso2@nyu.edu or 212.998.5284; mso3@nyu.edu

Migration Policy Institute; www.migrationpolicy.org

The nonpartisan nonprofit think tank in Washington, D.C., focuses on the  movement of people worldwide. MPI analyzes and evaluates migration and refugee policies at the local, national and international levels. Its MPI Data Hub helps journalists localize stories with in-depth data on immigrants in each state. It also has maps showing settlement patterns of the foreign-born from Mexico, China and seven other areas. Michael Fix, vice president and director of studies, has extensively studied immigrant children.

Contact: 202.266.1908; communciations@migrationpolicy.org

National Council of La Raza; www.nclr.org

NCLR is the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. It conducts research, policy analysis and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in five key areas: assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health. It looks at every stage in the education pipeline – from early childhood education to higher education – to ensure that Latino students have equitable access to opportunities. Founded in 1968, the nonprofit organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C. 

Contact: Office of public information, 202.785.1670; opi@nclr.org

Pew Hispanic Center; www.pewhispanic.org

The nonpartisan research center works to improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos’ growing impact on the entire nation. It conducts and commissions studies on a wide range of issues, and it conducts public opinion surveys that aim to illuminate Latino views on social matters and public policy. Demography, education, identity and immigration are among its eight key subject areas.

Contact: 202.419.3600; info@pewhispanic.org

Population Reference Bureau; www.prb.org

The nonprofit research center analyzes complex demographic data and research to provide objective, accurate and timely information on domestic and global populations. Its work focuses on four themes: reproductive health and fertility; children and families; population and the environment; and population futures (aging, inequality and poverty, migration and urbanization, and gender).

Contact: Ellen Carnevale, communications director, 202.939.5407; ecarnavale@prb.org

Population Studies Center, University of Michigan; www.psc.isr.umich.edu

The demographic research center was established in 1961 to study fertility and family. Its researchers have created large-scale data collections such as the Intergenerational Panel Study of Parents and Children, the National Survey of Family Growth and the child development supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Research addresses: marriage, divorce and cohabitation; fertility, contraception and sexual behavior; household structure and intergenerational dynamics; child, adolescent and adult transitions; and race and gender issues.

Contact: 734.763.1543; isr-info@isr.umich.edu

RAND Corp.; www.rand.org/research_areas/children/

The nonprofit research organization provides analysis and effective solutions addressing challenges around the world. Its child policy division supports research and publications on issues from prenatal to age 18, yielding information to improve decisions and policies. Its Promising Practices Network on Children, Families and Communities, identifies programs that improve outcomes. Its Center for Research on Immigration Policy examines issues including: the effects of immigration on receiving and sending countries; integration of immigrants in the United States; access to and use of public services by immigrants; and the education of immigrants and their children.

Contact: media relations, 703.413.1100, Ext. 5117 (Arlington, Va.) or 310.451.6913 (Santa Monica., Calif.); media@rand.org

Urban Institute; www.urban.org

The nonpartisan center analyzes policies, evaluates programs and informs community development to improve social, civic and economic well-being. It aims to promote sound social policy and public debate. Its many research areas include work on children, families, adolescents and race-ethnicity, early childhood education, immigration and more. In late October 2007, Urban released a report, “Paying the Price: the Impact of Immigration Raids on America’s Children”.

Voices for America’s Children; www.voicesforamericaschildren.org/

The national organization represents a network of nonprofit state and local child advocacy organizations. It advocates for the well-being of children at the federal, state and local levels of government.

Contact: Halle Czechowski, communications vice president, 202.289.0777, Ext. 211; czechowski@voices.org

Additional Information

Future of Children: Children of Immigrant Families, Vol. 14, No. 2 – Summer 2004

http://www.futureofchildren.org/pubs-info2825/pubs-info_show.htm?doc_id=240166

Scholars, advocates and others focus on demographics, education, economics, health and general well-being of children in newcomer families. It also looks at the early years, middle childhood and adolescence. This Future of Children issue was the last published by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; the twice-yearly journal is now produced by Princeton University and the Brookings Institution.