Family Law

National and Ohio Statistics related to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

By Robert L. Mues

I have listed some of the most intriguing statistics from the 2000 U. S. Census Bureau Table DP-2, Profile Selected Social Characteristics :

• Across the United States, more than 6 million children are being raised in households headed by grandparents and other relatives.
• 2.5 million children are in these households without any parents present.
• Nationally, 4.5 million children are living in grandparent-headed households (6.3% of all children under age 18). This represents a 30% increase from 1990 to 2000.
• There are another 1.5 million children in the United States who are living in households headed by other relatives (2.1% of all children under 18).
• In Ohio, there are 157, 298 children living in grandparent-headed households (5.4% of all children in the state). There are another 35,333 children living in households headed by other relatives (1.2 % of all children in the state). Of the children living in households headed by grandparents or other relatives in Ohio, 76,794 are living there without either parent present.
• Nationally, 2.4 million grandparents report they are responsible for their grandchildren living with them: 29% of these grandparents are African American;17% are Hispanic/Latino; 2% are American Indian or Alaskan Native; 3% are Asian ;and 47% are White. 34% of these grandparents live in households without the children?s parents present. 71% are under the age of 60; 19% live in poverty.
• In Ohio, 86,009 grandparents report they are responsible for their grandchildren living with them [7,039 in Cleveland and 6,263 in Columbus]: 27% of these grandparents are African American; 2% are Hispanic/Latino; and 68% are White. 40% of these grandparents live in households without the children?s parents present. 73% are under the age of 60; 15% live in poverty.

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Full post as published by Ohio Family Law Blog on February 25, 2008 (boomark / email).