Changes in Family Composition

Abstract

This article discusses the consequences of family composition for poverty and income and its implications for policy. Marriage rates are declining, rates of nonmarital births are increasing (both poverty-increasing), while families are smaller, and there are more working mothers (both poverty-decreasing). Marriage remains less likely and nonmarital births more common for blacks than for whites and Hispanics, though even among whites, 36 percent of births were to unmarried mothers by 2011. On the other hand, divergent patterns across education groups are more common: marriage rates have continued to fall, but not for women with college degrees. Men’s earnings have fallen, and, after an increase, women’s have also declined—though less so for those with bachelor’s degrees. The article also discusses policy responses designed to reduce nonmarital childbearing (potentially reducing the number of children and families at high risk of poverty) and to help single-mother families (reducing the risk of poverty faced by such families).