Share of single parent households in United States

United States: Share of single parent households was 9.13 in 2015. ▲ Rising

Latest (2015)
9.13
World rank
41st
of 70 countries
All-time high
13.12
in 2009
All-time low
5.23
in 1960
Years of data
9
1960–2015

Share of single parent households in United States, 1960–2015

0510151960198720151960: 5.21970: 6.81980: 7.71990: 8.32000: 8.62005: 9.32009: 13.12010: 9.62015: 9.1

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of single parent households in United States is 9.13, measured in 2015.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of single parent households in United States peaked at 13.12 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 5.23, in 1960.

That places United States 41st out of 70 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 5.23 5.23 5.23 1
1970s 6.77 6.77 6.77 1
1980s 7.71 7.71 7.71 1
1990s 8.35 8.35 8.35 1
2000s 10.34 8.62 13.12 3
2010s 9.35 9.13 9.56 2

Countries ranked near United States

  1. 38 Uruguay 9.48 compare
  2. 39 Paraguay 9.31 compare
  3. 40 Nigeria 9.3 compare
  4. 42 Ethiopia 9.05 compare
  5. 43 Central African Republic 9.01 compare
  6. 44 Cameroon 8.7 compare

See the full ranking of 70 places →

More reference data data for United States

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of single parent households in United States?
Share of single parent households in United States was 9.13 in 2015, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of single parent households recorded in United States?
The highest recorded value was 13.12 in 2009.
What is the lowest share of single parent households recorded in United States?
The lowest recorded value was 5.23 in 1960.
How does United States rank for share of single parent households?
United States ranks 41st out of 70 countries with data for 2015.
Is share of single parent households rising or falling in United States?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of single parent households. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Share of single parent households
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
70 places, 523 data points, 1960–2021
Last refreshed