The average American household consisted of 2.51 people in 2023.
Households in the U.S.
As shown in the statistic, the number of people per household has decreased over the past decades.
The U.S. Census Bureau defines a household as follows: “a household includes all the persons who occupy a housing unit as their usual place of residence. A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the building and which have direct access from outside the building or through a common hall. The occupants may be a single family, one person living alone, two or more families living together, or any other group of related or unrelated persons who share living arrangements. (People not living in households are classified as living in group quarters.).”
The population of the United States has been growing steadily for decades. Since 1960, the number of households more than doubled from 53 million to over 131 million households in 2023.
Most of these households, about 34 percent, are two-person households. The distribution of U.S. households has changed over the years though. The percentage of single-person households has been on the rise since 1970 and made up the second largest proportion of households in the U.S. in 2022, at 28.88 percent.
In concordance with the rise of single-person households, the percentage of family households with own children living in the household has declined since 1970 from 56 percent to 40.26 percent in 2022.
The typical American picture of a family with 2.5 kids might not be as relevant as it once was: In 2023, there was an average of 1.94 children under 18 per family in the United States. This is a decrease from 2.33 children under 18 per family in 1960.
Familial structure in the United States
If there’s one thing the United States is known for, it’s diversity. Whether this is diversity in ethnicity, culture, or family structure, there is something for everyone in the U.S. Two-parent households in the U.S. are declining, and the number of families with no children are increasing. The number of families with children has stayed more or less constant since 2000.
Adoptions in the U.S.
Families in the U.S. don’t necessarily consist of parents and their own biological children. In 2021, around 35,940 children were adopted by married couples, and 13,307 children were adopted by single women.
How many households are in the U.S.?
In 2023, there were 131.43 million households in the United States. This is a significant increase from 1960, when there were 52.8 million households in the U.S.
What counts as a household?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a household is considered to be all persons living within one housing unit. This includes apartments, houses, or single rooms, and consists of both related and unrelated people living together. For example, two roommates who share a living space but are not related would be considered a household in the eyes of the Census. It should be noted that group living quarters, such as college dorms, are not counted as households in the Census.
Household changes
While the population of the United States has been increasing, the average size of households in the U.S. has decreased since 1960. In 1960, there was an average of 3.33 people per household, but in 2023, this figure had decreased to 2.51 people per household. Additionally, two person households make up the majority of American households, followed closely by single-person households.
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TikTok has 136 million monthly active users in the US alone.
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United States Avg Hourly Earnings: sa: PW: Other Service data was reported at 20.550 USD in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 20.540 USD for May 2018. United States Avg Hourly Earnings: sa: PW: Other Service data is updated monthly, averaging 9.320 USD from Jan 1964 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 654 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20.550 USD in Jun 2018 and a record low of 1.110 USD in Mar 1964. United States Avg Hourly Earnings: sa: PW: Other Service data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G034: Current Employment Statistics Survey: Average Weekly and Hourly Earnings: Production Workers.
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The average adult TikTok user in America spends 33 minutes per day on the app.
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United States Avg Weekly Earnings: Private data was reported at 1,235.990 USD in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,249.590 USD for Mar 2025. United States Avg Weekly Earnings: Private data is updated monthly, averaging 868.880 USD from Mar 2006 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 230 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,249.590 USD in Mar 2025 and a record low of 682.380 USD in Mar 2006. United States Avg Weekly Earnings: Private data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Employment Statistics: Average Weekly Earnings. [COVID-19-IMPACT]
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United States US: Survival To Age 65: Male: % of Cohort data was reported at 81.615 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 81.372 % for 2015. United States US: Survival To Age 65: Male: % of Cohort data is updated yearly, averaging 73.582 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 81.615 % in 2016 and a record low of 63.787 % in 1967. United States US: Survival To Age 65: Male: % of Cohort data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Survival to age 65 refers to the percentage of a cohort of newborn infants that would survive to age 65, if subject to age specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;
This statistic depicts the average body weight of U.S. adults aged 20 years and over from 1999 to 2016. According to the data, the average male body weight has increased from 189.4 in 1999-2000 to 197.9 in 2015-2016.
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Graph and download economic data for Expenditures: Total Average Annual Expenditures by Race: White, Asian, and All Other Races, Not Including Black or African American (CXUTOTALEXPLB0902M) from 1984 to 2023 about asian, average, white, expenditures, and USA.
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Graph and download economic data for Average Weekly Earnings of All Employees, Leisure and Hospitality (CES7000000011) from Mar 2006 to Jun 2025 about leisure, hospitality, earnings, establishment survey, employment, and USA.
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Globally the average user spends 52 minutes on TikTok every day. About 90% of their worldwide users access TikTok on a daily basis.
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Graph and download economic data for Average Weekly Earnings of All Employees, Total Private (CES0500000011) from Mar 2006 to Jun 2025 about earnings, establishment survey, private, employment, and USA.
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Graph and download economic data for Employed full time: Median usual weekly real earnings: Wage and salary workers: 16 years and over: Black or African American (LEU0252884600Q) from Q1 2000 to Q1 2025 about full-time, African-American, salaries, workers, earnings, 16 years +, wages, median, real, employment, and USA.
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AHE: sa: PW: EH: Child & Youth Services data was reported at 24.850 USD in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 24.750 USD for Feb 2025. AHE: sa: PW: EH: Child & Youth Services data is updated monthly, averaging 15.010 USD from Jan 1990 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 423 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.850 USD in Mar 2025 and a record low of 8.520 USD in Jan 1990. AHE: sa: PW: EH: Child & Youth Services data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Employment Statistics: Average Hourly Earnings: Production Workers: Seasonally Adjusted.
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics and serves as a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business, and labor representatives. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Labor_Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics including CPI (inflation), employment, unemployment, and wage data.
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What is the average annual inflation across all US Cities? What was the monthly unemployment rate (U3) in 2016? What are the top 10 hourly-waged types of work in Pittsburgh, PA for 2016?
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Graph and download economic data for Average Weekly Hours of All Employees, Professional and Business Services (AWHAEPBS) from Mar 2006 to Jun 2025 about professional, establishment survey, hours, business, services, employment, and USA.
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The average person has 8-9 social media accounts. This has doubled since 2013, when the average person just had 4-5 accounts.
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Graph and download economic data for Average Weekly Overtime Hours of All Employees, Manufacturing (CES3000000004) from Mar 2006 to Jun 2025 about establishment survey, hours, manufacturing, employment, and USA.
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United States Avg Weekly Hours: PW: Information data was reported at 35.100 Hour in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 36.200 Hour for Sep 2018. United States Avg Weekly Hours: PW: Information data is updated monthly, averaging 36.400 Hour from Jan 1964 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 658 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 38.600 Hour in Aug 1966 and a record low of 35.000 Hour in Jan 1982. United States Avg Weekly Hours: PW: Information data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G039: Current Employment Statistics Survey: Average Weekly Hours: Production Workers.
The average American household consisted of 2.51 people in 2023.
Households in the U.S.
As shown in the statistic, the number of people per household has decreased over the past decades.
The U.S. Census Bureau defines a household as follows: “a household includes all the persons who occupy a housing unit as their usual place of residence. A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the building and which have direct access from outside the building or through a common hall. The occupants may be a single family, one person living alone, two or more families living together, or any other group of related or unrelated persons who share living arrangements. (People not living in households are classified as living in group quarters.).”
The population of the United States has been growing steadily for decades. Since 1960, the number of households more than doubled from 53 million to over 131 million households in 2023.
Most of these households, about 34 percent, are two-person households. The distribution of U.S. households has changed over the years though. The percentage of single-person households has been on the rise since 1970 and made up the second largest proportion of households in the U.S. in 2022, at 28.88 percent.
In concordance with the rise of single-person households, the percentage of family households with own children living in the household has declined since 1970 from 56 percent to 40.26 percent in 2022.