The structure of the family in the Atlanta region has changed dramatically over the past 40 years. There are fewer husband-wife families and more single-parent families and “non-families.” Here are some other key findings from this month’s Regional Snapshot:
- As of 2010, almost 34 percent of families with children are headed by a single-parent in the 10-county Atlanta region. In 1970, that percentage was less than 14 percent.
- Every county in the 10-county Atlanta region experienced double-digit percentage point increases in the proportion of single-parent families between 1970-2010. Over the last decade (2000-2010), only Fulton had a decrease.
- The proportion of husband-wife families (with and without kids), conversely, has decreased dramatically. In 1970, almost 71 percent of households were husband-wife families. By 2010, that percentage had dropped to 46 percent.
- Married-couple families earn more than twice as much annually as other family types and non-families.
To see everything, check out the full slide deck here: