Family size is shrinking in the U.S., with only 2.52 members per household on average in 2019, making it the smallest size ever in the country’s history. Historical data tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau showed an average family size of 5 in 1880, double by today’s standards. The decline in family size is believed to be attributable to various economic and social changes over the decades.
Roughly 63% of households in the U.S. consist of two or fewer family members. The Census Bureau also tracks family size by state. Utah has the largest household size at 3.12 family members, while Maine has the lowest at 2.28 members.
Smaller households materialized over the past 60 years, with one-person households accounting for 28.4% of the U.S. total in 2019, up from 13.1% in 1960. Households of four or more decreased from 40.2% in 1960 to 22.1% in 2019, nearly dropping in half.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Historical Statistics of the United States
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