Family Structure
- In South Carolina, children in low-income families are more likely to live with a single parent.
- 62% (232,873) of children in low-income families live with a single parent.
- 16% (93,035) of children in above low-income families live with a single parent.
Two-parent families include step-parent families, as well as families with two biological/adoptive parents. Single parent families include only families with one unmarried parent in the household.
Children by Family Structure and Income Level
| Low-Income Children | Above Low-Income Children | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Parent | Two-Parent | Single-Parent | Two-Parent | |||||
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | |
| South Carolina | 232,873 | 62% | 144,170 | 38% | 93,035 | 16% | 481,806 | 84% |
| United States | 13,450,000 | 50% | 13,360,000 | 50% | 7,051,021 | 16% | 36,220,000 | 84% |
Source: National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP)
State data were calculated from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (the March supplement) of the Current Population Survey from 2002, 2003, and 2004, representing information from calendar years 2001, 2002, and 2003. NCCP averaged three years of data because of small sample sizes in less populated states. The national data were calculated from the 2004 data, representing information from calendar year 2003.