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 average American family in 2023 consisted of 3.15 persons. Families in the United States According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a family is a group of two people or more (one of whom is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together; all such people (including related subfamily members) are considered as members of one family. As of 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau counted about 84.33 million families in the United States. The average family consisted of 3.15 persons in 2021, down from 3.7 in the 1960s. This is reflected in the decrease of children in family households overall. In 1970, about 56 percent of all family households had children under the age of 18 living in the household. This percentage declined to about 40 percent in 2020. The average size of a family household varies greatly from state to state. The largest average families can be found in Utah, California, and Hawaii, while the smallest families can be found in Wisconsin, Vermont and Maine.

In 2021, the average size of households in Utah was 2.99 people, the largest of any state. Hawaii, California, Idaho, and Texas rounded out the top five states for largest household size in that year. Nationwide, the average household size was 2.54 people.

In 2024, 34.59 percent of all households in the United States were two person households. In 1970, this figure was at 28.92 percent. Single households Single mother households are usually the most common households with children under 18 years old found in the United States. As of 2021, the District of Columbia and North Dakota had the highest share of single-person households in the United States. Household size in the United States has decreased over the past century, due to customs and traditions changing. Families are typically more nuclear, whereas in the past, multigenerational households were more common. Furthermore, fertility rates have also decreased, meaning that women do not have as many children as they used to. Average households in Utah Out of all states in the U.S., Utah was reported to have the largest average household size. This predominately Mormon state has about three million inhabitants. The Church of the Latter-Day Saints, or Mormonism, plays a large role in Utah, and can contribute to the high birth rate and household size in Utah. The Church of Latter-Day Saints promotes having many children and tight-knit families. Furthermore, Utah has a relatively young population, due to Mormons typically marrying and starting large families younger than those in other states.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents median household incomes for various household sizes in Rising Sun, MD, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in median household income with the size of the family unit, offering valuable insights into economic trends and disparities within different household sizes, aiding in data analysis and decision-making.

Key observations

• Of the 7 household sizes (1 person to 7-or-more person households) reported by the census bureau, Rising Sun did not include 7-person households. Across the different household sizes in Rising Sun the mean income is $95,021, and the standard deviation is $36,411. The coefficient of variation (CV) is 38.32%. This high CV indicates high relative variability, suggesting that the incomes vary significantly across different sizes of households.
• In the most recent year, 2021, The smallest household size for which the bureau reported a median household income was 1-person households, with an income of $34,792. It then further increased to $112,145 for 6-person households, the largest household size for which the bureau reported a median household income.

https://i.neilsberg.com/ch/rising-sun-md-median-household-income-by-household-size.jpeg" alt="Rising Sun, MD median household income, by household size (in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars)">

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Household Sizes:

• 1-person households
• 2-person households
• 3-person households
• 4-person households
• 5-person households
• 6-person households
• 7-or-more-person households

Variables / Data Columns

• Household Size: This column showcases 7 household sizes ranging from 1-person households to 7-or-more-person households (As mentioned above).
• Median Household Income: Median household income, in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific household size.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Rising Sun median household income. You can refer the same here

The median value of number of persons living within a household. The average size of a household is obtained by dividing the number of persons in households by the number of households (or householders). Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census Years Available: 2010

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents median household incomes for various household sizes in United States, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in median household income with the size of the family unit, offering valuable insights into economic trends and disparities within different household sizes, aiding in data analysis and decision-making.

Key observations

• Of the 7 household sizes (1 person to 7-or-more person households) reported by the census bureau, all of the household sizes were found in United States. Across the different household sizes in United States the mean income is $94,149, and the standard deviation is $26,829. The coefficient of variation (CV) is 28.50%. This high CV indicates high relative variability, suggesting that the incomes vary significantly across different sizes of households.
• In the most recent year, 2021, The smallest household size for which the bureau reported a median household income was 1-person households, with an income of $38,463. It then further increased to $114,329 for 7-person households, the largest household size for which the bureau reported a median household income.

https://i.neilsberg.com/ch/united-states-median-household-income-by-household-size.jpeg" alt="United States median household income, by household size (in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars)">

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Household Sizes:

• 1-person households
• 2-person households
• 3-person households
• 4-person households
• 5-person households
• 6-person households
• 7-or-more-person households

Variables / Data Columns

• Household Size: This column showcases 7 household sizes ranging from 1-person households to 7-or-more-person households (As mentioned above).
• Median Household Income: Median household income, in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific household size.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for United States median household income. You can refer the same here

The once-a-decade decennial census was conducted in April 2010 by the U.S. Census Bureau. This count of every resident in the United States was mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and all households in the U.S. and individuals living in group quarters were required by law to respond to the 2010 Census questionnaire. The data collected by the decennial census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. The questionnaire consisted of a limited number of questions but allowed for the collection of information on the number of people in the household and their relationship to the householder, an individual's age, sex, race and Hispanic ethnicity, the number of housing units and whether those units are owner- or renter-occupied, or vacant. Results for sub-state geographic areas in New Mexico were released in a series of data products. These data come from Summary File 1 (SF-1). The geographic coverage for SF-1 includes the state, counties, places (both incorporated and unincorporated communities), tribal lands, school districts, census tracts, block groups and blocks, among others. Table DC10_00845 is for Quay County and all census blocks in the county. The table shows average household size for all occupied housing units combined and for owner- and renter-occupied housing units. This file, along with file descriptions (in Word and text formats) are available in a single zip file.

description: This thematic map presents the average household size in the United States in 2012. The 2012 Average Household Size is the household population divided by total households. The average household size for the U.S. in 2012 is 2.6 persons per household. This map shows Esri's 2012 estimates using Census 2010 geographies.The geography depicts States at greater than 50m scale, Counties at 7.5m to 50m scale, Census Tracts at 200k to 7.5m scale, and Census Block Groups at less than 200k scale.Scale Range: 1:591,657,528 down to 1:72,224.For more information For more information on this map, including the terms of use, visit us online.; abstract: This thematic map presents the average household size in the United States in 2012. The 2012 Average Household Size is the household population divided by total households. The average household size for the U.S. in 2012 is 2.6 persons per household. This map shows Esri's 2012 estimates using Census 2010 geographies.The geography depicts States at greater than 50m scale, Counties at 7.5m to 50m scale, Census Tracts at 200k to 7.5m scale, and Census Block Groups at less than 200k scale.Scale Range: 1:591,657,528 down to 1:72,224For more information on this map, including our terms of use, visit us online at http://goto.arcgisonline.com/maps/Demographics/USA_Average_Household_SizeThis map shows the average household size in the United States in 2012.Average Household SizeBlock GroupsTractsCountiesStates

This layer shows the average household size in Indonesia in 2022, in a multiscale map (Country, Province, County, District, and Subdistrict). Nationally, the average household size is 3.8 people per household. It is calculated by dividing the household population by total households.The pop-up is configured to show the following information at each geography level:Average household size (people per household)Total populationTotal householdsCount of population by 15-year age incrementsCount of population by marital status The source of this data is Michael Bauer Research. The vintage of the data is 2022. This item was last updated in November, 2022 and is updated every 12-18 months as new annual figures are offered.Additional Esri Resources:Esri DemographicsThis item is for visualization purposes only and cannot be exported or used in analysis.We would love to hear from you. If you have any feedback regarding this item or Esri Demographics, please let us know.Permitted use of this data is covered in the DATA section of the Esri Master Agreement (E204CW) and these supplemental terms.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents median household incomes for various household sizes in Delhi Town, New York, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in median household income with the size of the family unit, offering valuable insights into economic trends and disparities within different household sizes, aiding in data analysis and decision-making.

Key observations

• Of the 7 household sizes (1 person to 7-or-more person households) reported by the census bureau, Delhi town did not include 5, 6, or 7-person households. Across the different household sizes in Delhi town the mean income is $75,169, and the standard deviation is $27,517. The coefficient of variation (CV) is 36.61%. This high CV indicates high relative variability, suggesting that the incomes vary significantly across different sizes of households.
• In the most recent year, 2021, The smallest household size for which the bureau reported a median household income was 1-person households, with an income of $41,041. It then further increased to $71,949 for 4-person households, the largest household size for which the bureau reported a median household income.

https://i.neilsberg.com/ch/delhi-town-ny-median-household-income-by-household-size.jpeg" alt="Delhi Town, New York median household income, by household size (in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars)">

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Household Sizes:

• 1-person households
• 2-person households
• 3-person households
• 4-person households
• 5-person households
• 6-person households
• 7-or-more-person households

Variables / Data Columns

• Household Size: This column showcases 7 household sizes ranging from 1-person households to 7-or-more-person households (As mentioned above).
• Median Household Income: Median household income, in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific household size.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Delhi town median household income. You can refer the same here

China Population: Average Household Size data was reported at 2.800 Person in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.760 Person for 2022. China Population: Average Household Size data is updated yearly, averaging 3.150 Person from Dec 1982 (Median) to 2023, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.430 Person in 1982 and a record low of 2.620 Person in 2020. China Population: Average Household Size data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: No of Person per Household.

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.

Urban and regional planners rely on Average Household Size as a foundational indicator for many of their models, calculations, and plans. Average household size (also known as "people per household") is a reflection of many dynamics at play, for example:Age of the population, as many older people tend to live in smaller households (one-person or two-person households)Housing prices in the area, proximity to colleges and universities, and how likely people are to live with roommatesFamily norms and traditions (e.g., multigenerational families are more common in some areas and with some population groups)This feature layer contains the Average Household Size and Population Density for states, counties, and tracts. Data from U.S. Census Bureau's 2014-2018 American Community Survey's 5-year estimates, Tables B25010 and B01001. Population Density was calculated based on the total population and area of land fields, which both came from the U.S. Census Bureau. See the field description for the formula used.This layer is symbolized to show the average household size. Population density, as well as average household size breakdown by housing tenure is presented in the pop-up. Click the Data tab -> Fields list to see all available attributes and their definitions.

This map shows the average household size in the United States according to the 2010 US Census. The average household size represents the average number of people living within a residence. The map shows this pattern for states, counties, tracts, and block groups. There is increasing geographic detail as you zoom in, and only one geography is configured to show at any time. The data source is the US Census Bureau, and the vintage is 2010. The original service and data metadata can be found here.

Although the American Community Survey (ACS) produces population, demographic and housing unit estimates, it is the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program that produces and disseminates the official estimates of the population for the nation, states, counties, cities, and towns and estimates of housing units for states and counties..Supporting documentation on code lists, subject definitions, data accuracy, and statistical testing can be found on the American Community Survey website in the Technical Documentation section.Sample size and data quality measures (including coverage rates, allocation rates, and response rates) can be found on the American Community Survey website in the Methodology section..Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. The degree of uncertainty for an estimate arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a margin of error. The value shown here is the 90 percent margin of error. The margin of error can be interpreted roughly as providing a 90 percent probability that the interval defined by the estimate minus the margin of error and the estimate plus the margin of error (the lower and upper confidence bounds) contains the true value. In addition to sampling variability, the ACS estimates are subject to nonsampling error (for a discussion of nonsampling variability, see ACS Technical Documentation). The effect of nonsampling error is not represented in these tables..Average family size is derived by dividing the number of related people in households by the number of family households..Housing unit weight is used throughout this table (only exception is the average household and family size cells)..The 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) data generally reflect the March 2020 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) delineations of metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas. In certain instances the names, codes, and boundaries of the principal cities shown in ACS tables may differ from the OMB delineations due to differences in the effective dates of the geographic entities..Estimates of urban and rural populations, housing units, and characteristics reflect boundaries of urban areas defined based on Census 2010 data. As a result, data for urban and rural areas from the ACS do not necessarily reflect the results of ongoing urbanization..Explanation of Symbols:- The estimate could not be computed because there were an insufficient number of sample observations. For a ratio of medians estimate, one or both of the median estimates falls in the lowest interval or highest interval of an open-ended distribution. For a 5-year median estimate, the margin of error associated with a median was larger than the median itself.N The estimate or margin of error cannot be displayed because there were an insufficient number of sample cases in the selected geographic area. (X) The estimate or margin of error is not applicable or not available.median- The median falls in the lowest interval of an open-ended distribution (for example "2,500-")median+ The median falls in the highest interval of an open-ended distribution (for example "250,000+").** The margin of error could not be computed because there were an insufficient number of sample observations.*** The margin of error could not be computed because the median falls in the lowest interval or highest interval of an open-ended distribution.***** A margin of error is not appropriate because the corresponding estimate is controlled to an independent population or housing estimate. Effectively, the corresponding estimate has no sampling error and the margin of error may be treated as zero.

The once-a-decade decennial census was conducted in April 2010 by the U.S. Census Bureau. This count of every resident in the United States was mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and all households in the U.S. and individuals living in group quarters were required by law to respond to the 2010 Census questionnaire. The data collected by the decennial census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. The questionnaire consisted of a limited number of questions but allowed for the collection of information on the number of people in the household and their relationship to the householder, an individual's age, sex, race and Hispanic ethnicity, the number of housing units and whether those units are owner- or renter-occupied, or vacant. Results for sub-state geographic areas in New Mexico were released in a series of data products. These data come from Summary File 1 (SF-1). The geographic coverage for SF-1 includes the state, counties, places (both incorporated and unincorporated communities), tribal lands, school districts, census tracts, block groups and blocks, among others. Table DC10_00836 is for Harding County and all census blocks in the county. The table shows average household size for all occupied housing units combined and for owner- and renter-occupied housing units. This file, along with file descriptions (in Word and text formats) are available in a single zip file.

The once-a-decade decennial census was conducted in April 2010 by the U.S. Census Bureau. This count of every resident in the United States was mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and all households in the U.S. and individuals living in group quarters were required by law to respond to the 2010 Census questionnaire. The data collected by the decennial census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. The questionnaire consisted of a limited number of questions but allowed for the collection of information on the number of people in the household and their relationship to the householder, an individual's age, sex, race and Hispanic ethnicity, the number of housing units and whether those units are owner- or renter-occupied, or vacant. Results for sub-state geographic areas in New Mexico were released in a series of data products. These data come from Summary File 1 (SF-1). The geographic coverage for SF-1 includes the state, counties, places (both incorporated and unincorporated communities), tribal lands, school districts, census tracts, block groups and blocks, among others. Table DC10_00833 is for Eddy County and all census blocks in the county. The table shows average household size for all occupied housing units combined and for owner- and renter-occupied housing units. This file, along with file descriptions (in Word and text formats) are available in a single zip file.

The once-a-decade decennial census was conducted in April 2010 by the U.S. Census Bureau. This count of every resident in the United States was mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and all households in the U.S. and individuals living in group quarters were required by law to respond to the 2010 Census questionnaire. The data collected by the decennial census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. The questionnaire consisted of a limited number of questions but allowed for the collection of information on the number of people in the household and their relationship to the householder, an individual's age, sex, race and Hispanic ethnicity, the number of housing units and whether those units are owner- or renter-occupied, or vacant. Results for sub-state geographic areas in New Mexico were released in a series of data products. These data come from Summary File 1 (SF-1). The geographic coverage for SF-1 includes the state, counties, places (both incorporated and unincorporated communities), tribal lands, school districts, census tracts, block groups and blocks, among others. Table DC10_00847 is for Roosevelt County and all census blocks in the county. The table shows average household size for all occupied housing units combined and for owner- and renter-occupied housing units. This file, along with file descriptions (in Word and text formats) are available in a single zip file.

The once-a-decade decennial census was conducted in April 2010 by the U.S. Census Bureau. This count of every resident in the United States was mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and all households in the U.S. and individuals living in group quarters were required by law to respond to the 2010 Census questionnaire. The data collected by the decennial census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. The questionnaire consisted of a limited number of questions but allowed for the collection of information on the number of people in the household and their relationship to the householder, an individual's age, sex, race and Hispanic ethnicity, the number of housing units and whether those units are owner- or renter-occupied, or vacant. Results for sub-state geographic areas in New Mexico were released in a series of data products. These data come from Summary File 1 (SF-1). The geographic coverage for SF-1 includes the state, counties, places (both incorporated and unincorporated communities), tribal lands, school districts, census tracts, block groups and blocks, among others. Table DC10_00828 is for Cibola County and all census blocks in the county. The table shows average household size for all occupied housing units combined and for owner- and renter-occupied housing units. This file, along with file descriptions (in Word and text formats) are available in a single zip file.