Fewer than half of U.S. households in 2025 were married couples, according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s America’s Families and Living Arrangements tables. The data show a significant change from 50 years ago, when nearly two-thirds of households consisted of married couples.
The report highlights that among married-couple households, the proportion with their own children has also declined over time. In 1975, more than half (54%) of these households included their own children under age 18; by 2025, this share had dropped to about 37%.
Single-person households have increased as well. In 2025, there were 39.7 million one-person households, making up 29% of all households—up from 20% in 1975. The portion of householders aged 65 and older rose from one in five in 1975 to over one in four in 2025.
Other findings include a decrease in families with their own children under age 18—from 54% in 1975 to 39% in 2025—and an increase in the median age at first marriage: men now marry at a median age of 30.8 and women at a median age of 28.4, compared to ages 23.5 and 21.1 respectively fifty years ago.
Living arrangements for young adults have shifted as well: “In 2025, more than half (58%) of adults ages 18 to 24 lived in their parental home, compared to 16% of adults ages 25 to 34.”
These statistics are based on data collected by the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC) for both years cited. CPS ASEC has been gathering information on families for over six decades.
The data cover various aspects such as household characteristics, living arrangements, couple types, and children. Further details can be found on the Families and Living Arrangements page at census.gov.
Definitions and technical documentation regarding confidentiality protection, methodology, sampling error, and other topics are available at this link. All comparative statements reported have undergone statistical testing for significance at the ten percent level unless otherwise noted.
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