Blog Assignment #2

1)  Looking at the first three highlights on page 1, what types of families/households have declined since 1970 and which have increased?

Family households and married couples with children under the age of 18 have declined since 1970. One person households have increased since 1970.

2) Choose one highlight and paraphrase (write in your own words) the changes using the percentages and years provided.

One person households have increased since 1970. Only 17% of people lived in a one person household in 1970 but since then it has increased by 10 points making 27% of people in 2012 living in one person households. 

3) According to highlight 4, are families getting larger or smaller? Again in your own words describe how family size has changed using percentages and years.

Families have been getting smaller over the years. In 1970, the average number of people in a family was 3.1. Now, in 2012, the average number of people in a family is 2.6.

4) According to the report: what is the U.S. Census definition of a family and what is the definition of a household? 

The definition of household according to the U.S Census is: a household contains one or more people. Everyone living in a housing unit makes up a household. The definition of a family according the U.S Census is: A family household has at least two members related by birth, marriage, or adoption, one of whom is the householder.
 

5) Now scroll down to Table 1: Households by Type and Selected Characteristics: ACS 2011. 

5a. Carefully read the column and row names to determine the total number of "white alone" married couples families and the number of "Black or African American alone" married couple families? The term "alone' refers to families that are not interracial.

White alone married couple families: 45,982,567

Black or African American alone married couple families: 3,804,021

5b. What is the total number of NON family households with just 1 member? (These are the number of people who live alone).

Total number of non family households with just 1 member: 31,886,794

So far, which fact is the most surprising to you? Please be specific and use the numbers, percentages, and language of the Census report.

One thing I find extremely surprising is the number of householders between the age of 15-24. The total number of householders is 4,704,541. I find this extremely interesting because even the age of 24 seems young for someone to own a house. I am picturing the householders are fresh out of college with this huge amount of student debt so I can't believe that they can be a householder. 

6) Next, scroll down to Figure 1: Households by Type, 1970 to 2012: CPS (In percent).

Take a few minutes to note the trends over time.

6a) Of the six categories of family and household types shown, which family type has changed the most and how. Use specific years and percentages. 

The category married couples with children has changed the most. In 1970, 40.3% of households were married couples with children. Now in 2012, only 19.6% of households are married couples with children. That number has decreased by almost half.

6b) Comparing men and women, who is more likely to live alone and try to make an argument as to why.

Women are more likely to live alone. In 2012, 15.2% of households were women living alone. In 2012, 12.3% of households were men living alone. I think this is because women are more likely to move out of their house and live on their own. Men usually live longer at home with their parents. 

6c) What is the Source of the data in Figure 1?

The source is U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement, selected years, 1970 to 2012.

7) Reflecting on what you have learned about changes in families and households in the U.S., how do these data compare with your own experience and knowledge of families. For example, did you know certain family types were on the decline or on the rise? What do you expect will happen in the future to one of these family types, based on the trends shown in Figure 1. In other words make an educated prediction of how you think one family/household type will look in 2020 and why?

This data surprised me because I thought that married couples with children would be a lot higher. I feel like everyone is married and living with their children and to see the number be at almost 20% really surprised me. I think the future of these families and households are going to decrease and single living is going to increase. It is much more accepted to live on your own and not have the marriage and family that everyone is expecting.