43 Fatherhood Statistics Trends & Analysis

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This article is going to talk about statistics on fatherhood in America.

This article is about the statistics on dads in America. Find out where fatherhood is trending.

I wrote an article previously about What it Means to be a Father. In the article, I talked a lot about the changing media perception of fatherhood.

I also discussed about a fatherless generation that is devoid of male role models and the impact it has on children and the family.

One of the segments I received a lot of comments on was the fatherhood statistics.

So I decided to track down more statistics. I’ve tried to cite the original source of the statistic. And I’ve broken them down into sections as well.

General Fatherhood Statistics

The following is based on the survey the United States Census Bureau does.

As you can see it gives the general state of fatherhood as a whole for the United States.

The numbers are surprising.

I didn’t know there were so many single fathers in America.

1. There are an estimated 72.2 million fathers in the United States
2. There are 24.6 million fathers in a married two-person household with kids younger than 18 years of age.
3. There are 2 million single fathers in the United States.
4. 17% of all single-parent households are single fathers
5. The breakdown of single fathers 44% divorced 33% never married 19% separated 4.2% widowed.
6. The annual income of single fathers is about $50,000.
7. 33% of all children (24.7 million) live in a home without their birth father (U.S. Census Bureau).
8. 72.2% of Americans think an absent father in the household is the most important problem facing American families (Fathering in America Poll, 1999: National Center for Fathering).
9. In 1960 only 9.1% of children were living with a single parent; by 2012 the number had risen to 20.7% of all children (source).

Social Statistics Involving Fatherlessness

In so many different ways society suffers from a lack of fathers in the home.

For example, children in fatherless homes have a higher rate of criminal activity and have a higher rate of incarceration based on the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau.

10. The percentage of children without a father in the United States is 43% (US Census Bureau)
11. 90% of runaway and homeless children are from fatherless homes (National Institute of Justice)
12. The percentage of a rapist with rage that came from a fatherless home 80% (National Institute of Justice)
13. 70% of minors housed in state facilities are from fatherless homes (U.S. Dept of Justice, 1988)
14. 39% of inmates housed in jail are from homes with an absent father (U.S Dept of Justice, 2002)
15. The rate of abuse and neglect in single-parent households is 27.3 children per thousand versus the rate of abuse and neglect in a two-parent household which is 15.5 children per thousand (Center of Disease and Control)
16. Children without a father are more likely to show disciplinary issues (2017 U.S. Census).

How a Fatherless Generation Affects Education

When it comes to education, a lack of a father (or father figure) affects kids in many different ways. These statistics will highlight the importance of fathers in the home.

Children both boys and girls, in general, do better when their father or in some cases, a father figure is in their lives.

17. 71% of all high-school dropouts are from a fatherless household (National Center for Education Statistics)
18. If a child has a father in the home, they are 40% less likely to repeat grade school (National Center for Education Statistics)
19. Teenage repeat offender arsonist is 90% more likely to be from an absent father household (Psychology Today, 1985)
20. The percentage of minors in prison who grew up without a father is 85% (Texas Department of Corrections, 1992)
21. Kids with fathers who are involved in their lives are more likely to do better in school than kids who don’t have a father in the home (United States Department of Health and Human Services)
22. Preschoolers with an involved father figure develop better verbal skills (United States Department of Health and Human Services)
23. Girls are more likely to have children as a teenager if they grow up without a father (source)
24. Kids experience fewer behavior issues in school when a father figure is active in their life (United States Department of Health and Human Services)
25. Girls develop stronger math skills when growing up with a father figure (United States Department of Health and Human Services)
26. Boys get better grades in school when a father figure is active in their life (United States Department of Health and Human Services)

Health-Related Issues Impacted by Fatherlessness

Even from a health perspective, there’s a negative impact from a lack of a father figure in the home.

For example, children in fatherless homes are twice as likely to be obese than children from a home with an active father figure (2017 U.S. Census).

27. The percentage of adolescents in substance abuse treatment facilities who are from fatherless homes is 75% (National Institute of Justice)
28. 71% of teenagers who are pregnant come from a fatherless home (United States Department of Health and Human Services)
29. 63% of youth suicides happen in households with an absent father (United States Department of Health)
30. 85% of children with behavioral disorders are from homes without fathers (Center for Disease Control)
31. Teen girls without a father are 7 times more likely to become pregnant as a teenager (2017 U.S. Census).
32. Infant mortality is 2 times higher in fatherless homes than homes with a father (2017 U.S. Census).
33. Children have a higher rate of drug and alcohol abuse in homes without a father (2017 U.S. Census).

Economic Impacts Related to Fatherlessness

34. Children are 4 times more likely to be in poverty from a lack of a father in the home (2017 U.S. Census Bureau)

Changing Fatherhood Stereotypes

For decades fathers have had this stereotype of working to “bring home the bacon” while the mother was seen as the nurturing caregiver.

Times are changing and how people view fathers and fatherhood is changing.

Along with that how the dads see themselves is also changing.

Fathers are no longer viewed as the sole breadwinner, and many dads view themselves more than capable of holding down the home.

I’m going to chronicle some of the research I was able to find. Luckily there are several that highlight some of these changing fatherhood trends.

We expect you’ll be surprised at some of these following statistics done by Zero to Three.

Their survey was done using a representative population sample of 2,200 parents who have children from 0-5 years of age.

This might surprise many folks out there, but it turns out the fathers out there (yes your husband) actually enjoys being a dad.

35. 90% of the dads out there really enjoy being a dad and consider it the most exciting thing in their life.

If you thought dads only cared about their jobs, you might overlook that a little bit when you find out

36. 85% of fathers consider being a dad the best job in the world.
37. 73% didn’t even think their life began until there first kid was born.
38. 62% of dads are hungry for more info on how they can be better dad for their kids.

Not only are dads changing stereotypes they’re also changing their family tree. When dads were asked

39. 52% said they are more affectionate with their kids than their dads were with them
40. and even when it comes to saying the dreaded “Love You” 54% of dads are saying it more than their parents said it to them.
41. 47% of fathers said they are more involved in their kid’s playtime than their dad was with them
42. 46% of fathers surveyed said they’re reading to their kids more than their parents did for them.

Are we Doing Enough to Empower Dads?

Do you think enough is being done to empower fathers?

43. When asked 40% of dads don’t believe they’re being empowered in their homes.

Based on the above statistics fathers play a very important role in the household.

From a social, economic, and health standpoint there is a benefit to children to have a father in the home or in some cases a father type figure.

Please take a second and share the article, so we can get the word out to others.

Have You Read These Yet?

• 10 Important Traits of a Good Father
• 15 Pros and Cons of Having a Kid