Youth Indicators 1996 / Indicator 18
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Type of family 1975 1980 1985 1991 1992 1993
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Numbers in thousands
Total families 55,698 59,910 63,232 66,959 67,842 68,838
Total families with own children under 18 30,060 31,325 31,496 32,981 33,358 33,916
Married-couple families
(with own children under 18) 25,236 24,974 24,225 24,435 24,460 24,746
Both parents employed 9,358 11,925 12,844 14,342 14,426 14,606
Only father employed 13,441 10,975 9,227 7,857 7,561 7,717
Only mother employed 895 852 960 1,180 1,293 1,357
Neither parent employed 1,543 1,222 1,194 1,058 1,180 1,068
Female-headed families (single mothers
with own children under 18)/1/ 4,400 5,718 6,345 7,323 7,564 7,781
Mother in labor force 2,635 3,833 4,302 4,970 5,090 5,311
Mother employed 2,306 3,412 3,741 4,431 4,491 4,755
Mother not employed 329 421 561 539 599 556
Male-headed families (single fathers
with own children under 18) 424 633 926 1,223 1,334 1,389
Father in labor force 369 561 834 1,113 -- --
Father employed 327 514 750 -- -- --
Father not employed 42 47 84 -- -- --
Percentage distribution
Total families 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Total families with own children under 18 54.0 52.3 49.8 49.3 49.2 49.3
Married-couple families
(with own children under 18) 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Both parents employed 37.1 47.7 53.0 58.7 59.0 59.0
Only father employed 53.3 43.9 38.1 32.2 30.9 31.2
Only mother employed 3.5 3.4 4.0 4.8 5.3 5.5
Neither parent employed 6.1 4.9 4.9 4.3 4.8 4.3
Female-headed families (single mothers
with own children under 18)/1/ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Mother in labor force 59.9 67.0 67.8 67.9 67.3 68.3
Mother employed 52.4 59.7 59.0 60.5 59.4 61.1
Mother not employed 7.5 7.4 8.8 7.4 7.9 7.1
Male-headed families (single fathers
with own children under 18) 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Father in labor force 87.0 88.6 90.1 91.0 -- --
Father employed 77.1 81.2 81.0 -- -- --
Father not employed 9.9 7.4 9.1 -- -- --
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/1/ Includes mother from unmarried couples.
-Data not available.
NOTE: Includes parents working both full-time and part-time. "Own children" in a family are sons and daughters, including stepchildren and adopted children, of the householder.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, unpublished data.
[Indicator 17. Family Income]
[Indicator 19. Mothers' Employment]
