The American population surpassed 307 million in 2009, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2009 American Community Survey. A slight majority of the population is female (50.7%), and 49.3% are male. The average American is 36.8 years old and 49% of those aged 15 and older are married. The typical American has a 3.23-person family and lives in a 2.63-person household.
Hispanic Population
More than 48 million Hispanics lived in the U.S. in 2009, accounting for 15.8% of the population. Unlike the general population, men (51.7%) account for a greater proportion of Hispanics than do women (48.3%). The Hispanic population has a lower median age (27.3 years), which breaks down as follows:
• 34.6% of Hispanics are under age 18, compared to 24.3% of the total population;
• 28.4% are aged 18-34, compared to 23.5% of the total population;
• 31.4% are aged 35-64, compared to 39.4% of the total population; and
• 5.6% are aged 65 and older, compared to 12.9% of the total population.
Due in part to the youth of the Hispanic population, they are less likely than average to be married (45.3% vs. 49.3%) or widowed (3.4% vs. 6.1%), and more likely than average to be single (39.6% vs. 31.8%).
One in five Americans aged five and older (19.9%) speak a language other than English at home, including 12.4% who speak Spanish or Spanish Creole. Slightly more than half of Spanish and Spanish Creole speakers (51%) are native-born Americans, 14% are naturalized citizens, and 35% are not citizens.
American Workers
About two thirds of Americans aged 16 and older (65%) were in the labor force in 2009, and 9.9% of those were unemployed. Young workers were more likely than their older peers to experience unemployment: 27% of 16-19 year olds were unemployed, as were 16% of 20-24 year olds. Women in the labor force (8.3%) were less likely than men (10.0%) to be unemployed; however, women in the labor force who had children under age 6 (10.7%) were more likely than average to be unemployed. Emerging majorities, excluding Asians, were more likely than Whites to be unemployed.
American workers aged 16 and older earned a mean of $28,365 in 2009. Men earned a median of $33,280, compared to a median of $23,513 for women. More than a third of workers (37%) earned $50,000 or more in 2009, including 44% of men and 29% of women. One in 10 workers (10%) earned $100,000 or more, including 13% of men and 5% of women.
Workers aged 16-64 spent an average of 38.4 hours per week at their job. Men worked an average of 40.9 hours, compared to an average of 35.7 hours.
More than three quarters of workers (76%) drove to work by themselves, and 10% carpooled. Some 5% took public transportation, 3% walked, 2% took another form of transportation, and 4% worked from home. The average worker’s commute was 25.1 minutes.
Marriage And Family
Nearly half of Americans aged 15 and older (49%) are married. Asians (60%) are more likely than Whites (53%), Hispanics (45%), those of two or more races (35%), and Blacks (30%) to be married.
About 4.5 million Americans got married in 2009, and 2.3 million Americans got divorced. The average age of men who got married was 30.9 years, and for women it was 29.1. Among those who got divorced, the average age for men was 42.5 and for women it was 40.5.
Some 1% of households are same-sex unmarried couples, and 5% are opposite-sex unmarried couples. The average married couple household includes 3.3 family members, compared to an average of 1.3 for non-family households. Three in 10 households (30%) include the householder’s own children under the age of 18.
American Youth
There were 74.2 million children under age 18 in the U.S. in 2009. Only 4% of those were foreign-born. A slight majority of children (55%) were non-Hispanic White, 22% were Hispanic, 14% were Black, 5% were of two or more races, and 4% were Asian.
The vast majority of children (89%) lived with their own parents, whereas 7% lived with a grandparent, 2% with other relatives, and 2% with non-related adults, such as a foster parent. Nearly one in 10 children (7%) lived in a household that included an unmarried partner of the adult with whom they lived.
Nearly a quarter of children (23%) received public assistance in 2009, and 20% lived in a household with an income below poverty level.
Nine in 10 children aged three to 17 (90%) were enrolled in school in 2009. The vast majority (86%) attended a public institution; 14% attended a private school. Some 87% of children aged 15 to 19 were enrolled in school in 2009, and 13% were not, including 6% who were idle, neither enrolled in school nor working. The majority of 15 to 19 year olds enrolled in school attended a public institution (87%); 13% attended private school.
Source: “2009 American Community Survey,” U.S. Census Bureau, Public Information Office, 400 Silver Hill Rd., Washington, DC 20233; 301-763-3030; pio@census.gov; www.census.gov. Price: Available online at no charge.
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