Grandparents Day was the brainchild of Marian McQuade of Fayette County, W.Va., who hoped that such an observance might persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage of their grandparents. The first presidential proclamation was issued in 1978, with one issued each year since, designating the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. In honor of the nation’s grandparents, the Census Bureau presents an array of data about these unsung caregivers.

Co-Resident Grandparents
5.8 million
The number of grandparents who live with one or more of their grandchildren under 18 years old. Most of these grandparents (4.5 million) maintain their own household. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&_ts=98711885248>

4%
The percentage of people age 30 and over who live with grandchildren. The rate is much higher among American Indians and Alaska natives (8 percent), blacks (8 percent), Hispanics (8 percent) and Pacific islanders (10 percent).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/census_2000/001442.html>

7%
The percentage of grandparents in Hawaii who live with their grandchildren, highest of all states. North Dakota has the lowest percentage (1 percent).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/census_2000/001442.html>

3.9 million
The number of multigenerational family households in the United States; these are families where grandparents live under the same roof with two or more generations of descendants. They make up 4 percent of all households. In 2.6 million of these households, the grandparent is the householder and lives with their children and their grandchildren.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn182.html>

Caregivers
2.5 million
The number of grandparents responsible for most of the basic needs (i.e., food, shelter, clothing) of one or more of the grandchildren they live with. These grandparents represent 43 percent of all grandparents who live with their grandchildren. Of these caregivers, 1.5 million are grandmothers and 900,000 are grandfathers.
<http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&_ts=98711885248>

1.4 million
The number of grandparents who are in the labor force and also responsible for most of the basic needs of their grandchildren.
<http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&_ts=98711885248>

56% and 52%
The percentages among American Indian and Alaska native, and black grandparents who live with their grandchildren and are responsible for their care. These are higher rates than those of other racial and ethnic groups.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/census_2000/001442.html>

35%
The percentage of grandparent caregivers who are in their 50s. Seven percent are in their 30s and 1 percent, age 80 and over.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/census_2000/001442.html>

60%
The percentage among grandparents living with their grandchildren who are younger than
60 years of age. These grandparents are more likely to be responsible for their grandchildren
(50 percent) than those age 60 and over (31 percent).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/census_2000/001442.html>

34%
The percentage of grandparent caregivers living in “skipped generation” households (i.e., those where neither parent of the grandchild is present). Among states, Hawaii has the lowest percentage of such households (22 percent).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/census_2000/001442.html>

Grandchildren
5.6 million
The number of children living with a grandparent; these children comprise 8 percent of all children in the United States. Of these children, 3.7 million lived in their grandparent’s home and 1.8 million in their parent’s home. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-97.html>

21%
The percentage of preschoolers who are cared for primarily by their grandparents while their mother is employed or in school. <http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/child/ppl-168/tabH-1.pdf>