Family Demography How do demographic characteristics affect life chances? w/statistical-abstract-us.html

Which Characteristics Matter? Ascribed Characteristics you are born with. Race (inheritable physical traits), gender, ethnicity (ancestral origins). Achieved Education, occupation, income, labor force participation Achieved AND ascribed characteristics Affect population through household structure Are affected by population processes Household Structure Family: relationship by blood, marriage, or adoption Household: people who share a housing unit.

Characteristics and Population Weeks, p. 375

Household Structure and Population Processes Broadly, we want to understand how the major population processes affect achieved characteristics and household structure, and how achieved characteristics and household structure affect the major population processes (mortality, fertility, migration).

U.S. Trends in Household Structure Decline in families as a percentage of households. Increase in single person households. Increase in cohabitation outside marriage. Among families with children, increase in the percentage headed by a single parent (usually a woman). Decline in average household size.

Percent of Families with Children Headed by a Single Parent

Poverty Rates of Households Headed by Females Poverty rates remain highest among households headed by females. While poverty rates among female-headed households are only slightly higher than in recent years…

Female-Headed Households as a Percentage of Poor Households Female-headed households comprise a much larger share of the total poor households in the United States.

LDC’s and Household Structure Rise in educational opportunities for women, although much remains to be done… Delays exit from parents household. Delays sexual union (marriage). Raises opportunity cost of children. Lowers infant mortality