EMBARGOED UNTIL: 12:01 A.M. EDT, APRIL 13, 1998 (MONDAY) Public Information Office CB98-56 301-457-3030/301-457-3670 (fax) 301-457-4067 (TDD) e:mail: pio@census.gov Terry Lugaila 301-457-2465 Numbers of Divorced and Never-Married Adults Increasing, Says Census Bureau Report Between 1970 and 1996, the number of divorced persons has more than quadrupled, from 4.3 million to 18.3 million, while the number of never-married adults has more than doubled, from 21.4 million to 44.9 million, according to a report released today by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau. After the release time, the data can be accessed at this Internet address http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/ms-la.html. "High levels of divorce and postponement of first marriage are among the changes that have reshaped the living arrangements of children and adults since the 1970s," said Terry Lugaila, a Census Bureau analyst. The report, Marital Status and Living Arrangements: March 1996, P20-496, contains historical data on marriage, divorce, living arrangements of adults and children, and unmarried households by age, race and sex. Other highlights of the report include: - The median age at first marriage has been rising since the mid-1950s, to 24.8 years for women and 27.1 years for men in 1996. - Between 1970 and 1996, the proportion of 18- to 24-year-olds who were family householders or their spouses decreased from 38 percent to 20 percent; for 25- to 34-year-olds, the proportion decreased from 83 percent to 61 percent. - Between 1970 and 1996, the proportion of children under 18 years of age living with one parent grew from 12 percent to 28 percent. - The number of unmarried-couple households (couples of opposite sexes) grew from 523,000 in 1970 to 4 million in 1996. - Between 1970 and 1996, the number of women living alone doubled from 7.3 million to 14.6 million, while the number of men living alone tripled, from 3.5 million to 10.3 million. Data are from the March 1996 Current Population Survey. As in all surveys, the data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.-X-The Census Bureau pre-eminent collector and provider of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. In more than 100 surveys annually and 20 censuses a decade, evolving from the first census in 1790, the Census Bureau provides official information about America's people, businesses, industries and institutions.
