Census Data: U.S. Household Growth Slower Than Ever in the 2010s

"Growth in the number of U.S. households during the 2010s slowed to its lowest pace in history, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of newly released 2020 census data."

An article by Richard Fry, Jeffrey S. Passel, and D'vera Chon shares news of the new analysis, explaining both causes and consequences for the data. Starting with causes, the article lists several long-term demographic trends:

1. "A fundamental driver of household growth is population growth. The population residing in households (that is, those who do not live in group quarters such as dorms, prisons or nursing homes) grew by only 7.5% in the last decade, the slowest population growth since the 1930s."
2. "Beyond population growth, another demographic trend also slows growth in the number of households: Multigenerational family living has been increasing. In 2016, 20% of the U.S. population lived in multigenerational family households, up from 12% in 1980."

Other trends like the share of Americans living alone are also explained in the article.

The article is less specific about the consequences of these trends, but predicts that the subpar growth of households will impact the demand for housing and durable goods like furniture and appliances. "The slowdown in economic growth over the 2010s is partly a reflection of weak household formation and low levels of home building," according to the article.

More from Planetizen on 2020 Census data findings:

• Where New Asian Residents Are Transforming New York City (October 2021)
• Census Data Reveal Increasing Density in the U.S.—Reversing a Two-Decade Trend (September 2021)
• News Brief: Census 2020 Population Data (August 2021)
• 2020 Population Growth Rates for the 50 Biggest U.S. Cities (July 2021)