The Changing Nature of the American Household

Marketers often look at household groups, whether they be TV households or high-income households. But what does the typical American household look like? A new study [pdf] from the Census Bureau analyzing a couple of its broader population surveys shows that the constitution of the American household has evolved considerably in the past 4 decades or so, such that there really is no typical household type anymore. For example, as of last year, so-called “nuclear families” accounted for just 19.6% of US households, down from 40.3% in 1970. (more…)