Family Desertion

Although married couples are now and always have been by far the most common family group in the United States, one of the most profound [Page 546]changes seen in society in the past half-century has been the massive increase in the number of families being run by single parents. This is having a significant impact on poverty in the country for a number of very important reasons.

Back in 1970, only 3.8 million households were headed by a single parent. However, by 2006 there were 12.9 million such families, and by 2011, there were 14.4 million. In all, more than 20 million children lived with a single parent in 2011. Those numbers represent a significant societal change. Women are approximately five times as likely to be ...