›› Children in Poverty 2000

Children in Single-Parent Families at an All-Time High, Although Child Poverty at a Record Low

COLUMBIA - The just released 2000 Census data for South Carolina shows that while poverty has reached its lowest level ever, children in single parent families are at an all-time high.

In 1970, the poverty rate was 28.7% while 14.5% of children lived in single-parent families. By 2000, the poverty rate had decreased by 10% to 18.5%, but children who lived in single-parent families had increased by 17% to 31.3%. The increase in single parent families is very substantial. Listed below are some single-parent facts:

• In 1970, only 14.5% of children lived in single-parent families. By 2000, that percentage had more than doubled to 31.3%. Most of the dramatic change has occurred since 1980 when 20% of children lived in single parent families.
• In 2000, Pickens at 21%, Lexington at 24.5%, and Oconee at 25% were better than the 1980 rate of bottom-ranking Allendale at 29%.
• In 1970, all counties except one (Allendale) were below 20%. Lexington and Oconee were below 10% in 1970, but were near 25% in 2000; Pickens was lowest in 2000 at 21%, the same as Allendale's rate in 1970, which was then the worst of all South Carolina counties.
• In 1980, twenty-four counties had less than 20% of children living in single parent families. In 2000, no counties were below 20%.

The increase in single parent families is the result of growth in both divorces and births to single parents. In recent decades, divorces explain less of the increase of children living in single parent families.

The reason is simple. Teens and young adults are marrying far later in life than in prior years, but continue to have most of their babies before the age of 30. Between 1970 and 1990, the percentage of 20-24 year olds who were married fell from 47% to 28%; 25-29 year olds fell from 75% to 55%. By 1990, the proportion of African-Americans and other non-caucasian females who were married was only 20% of 20-24 year olds and 38% of 25-29 year olds. Since marriage during the prime child bearing ages of 18-29 (who gave birth to 2/3 of all babies) declined so much, the births inevitably have substantially increased among unmarried parents.

Since 1960, births to single mothers have grown from 12% of all births to 39% in 1998. In 1999, the rate was 22% for caucasians and 68% for non-caucasians.

Dr. Baron Holmes, Kids Count Director said, "What is striking about the 2000 data is that child poverty would have fallen so much further if single parent families had not increased. Half of all children in single parent families are poor and two-thirds of all poor children are in single parent families. So the 6% increase of children in single parent families probably meant that the poverty rate failed to decline by an additional three percent to approximately 15.5%. The wonderful prosperity of the late 1990's managed to reduce child poverty by 2.5% from 21% to 18.5%, but the growth in one-paycheck or no-paycheck single parent families prevented a further reduction to 15% or 16%."
 

Data Tables

Percent of Children in Poverty 1969-2000.

Percent of Own Children (Less than 18 Years) in Single Parent Families 1970-2000
 

Contact

Baron Holmes, Ph.D.
(803)734-2291