Percentage of one-person households in United States
United States: Percentage of one-person households was 28.0% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Percentage of one-person households in United States, 1960–2018
Source: UN, national statistical agencies, OECD, and Deutschland in Daten (2021) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for percentage of one-person households in United States is 28.0%, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of one-person households in United States peaked at 28.1% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 13.1%, in 1960.
That places United States 24th out of 67 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 59 years of available data.
Percentage of one-person households in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 13.1% | — |
| 1961 | 13.3% | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 13.6% | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 13.6% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 13.9% | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 15.0% | +7.9% |
| 1966 | 15.6% | +3.6% |
| 1967 | 15.5% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 16.1% | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 16.7% | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 17.1% | +2.4% |
| 1971 | 17.7% | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 18.3% | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 18.5% | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 19.1% | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 19.6% | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 20.6% | +4.9% |
| 1977 | 20.9% | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 22.0% | +4.9% |
| 1979 | 22.2% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 22.7% | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 23.0% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 23.2% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 22.9% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 23.4% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 23.9% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 23.6% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 24.0% | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 24.5% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 24.6% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 25.0% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 25.1% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 24.4% | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 24.3% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 25.0% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 25.0% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 25.1% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 25.7% | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 25.6% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 25.5% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 26.1% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 26.3% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 26.4% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 26.4% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 26.6% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 26.6% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 26.8% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 27.5% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 27.0% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 26.7% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 27.5% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 27.4% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 27.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 27.7% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 28.0% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 28.1% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 27.9% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 28.0% | +0.3% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 28.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.4%, 92% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14.6% | 13.1% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.6% | 17.1% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.5% | 22.7% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.0% | 24.3% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.5% | 25.5% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.7% | 26.7% | 28.1% | 9 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of one-person households in United States?
- Percentage of one-person households in United States was 28.0% in 2018, according to UN, national statistical agencies, OECD, and Deutschland in Daten (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest percentage of one-person households recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 28.1% in 2016.
- What is the lowest percentage of one-person households recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.1% in 1960.
- How does United States rank for percentage of one-person households?
- United States ranks 24th out of 67 countries with data for 2018.
- Is percentage of one-person households rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UN, national statistical agencies, OECD, and Deutschland in Daten (2021) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Percentage of one-person households. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of one-person households as a share of the total number of households. Estimates combine multiple sources, including cross-country surveys and census data.