Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Americans believe that love is the main foundation of marriage. Most who never have been married say they would like to be at some point in their lives. However, statistics show Americans aren’t rushing to the altar, and the U.S. marriage rate is at an all-time low—only 51% of adults were married in 2011, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics. Read more
U.S.-born adult children of immigrants–the second generation–are better off than immigrants on key measures of socio-economic well-being, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of census data. Among Hispanics and Asians, the second generation is more likely than the immigrant generation to think of themselves as a “typical American,” according to survey data cited in the same report. Read more
The Census Bureau’s new national population projections released this week forecast markedly lower growth for the nation in the coming decades—especially from immigration—than the last official projection in 2008. In fact, the bureau’s new projected population of 420.3 million in 2060 is below its previous projection of 439 million for a decade earlier, in 2050. The bureau’s new projected population for 2050 is 399.8 million. Read more
The drop in U.S. birth rates after the onset of the Great Recession was led by foreign-born women, whose birth rates plunged 14% from 2007 to 2010, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of government data. The overall birth rate declined 8% in those years, and the birth rate for U.S.-born women decreased 6%. Read more
The recent decline in the number of Americans getting married shows no signs of reversing. In 2011, 4.2 million adults were newly married, about the same number as in 2010 and sharply lower than the 4.5 million newlyweds estimated in 2008. Read more
Each decade’s census not only provides fresh statistics on the U.S. population, but also is the basis for updating a broad range of previously published federal demographic estimates and survey benchmarks. Though necessary, the changes can produce hiccups in trend data. One example was in last week’s Census Bureau release of income, poverty and health insurance statistics for 2011. Read more
When the Census Bureau released 2011 American Community Survey data today, much of the media coverage focused on income, poverty and other state or local economic estimates. Although much coverage cited grim indicators, other stories suggested that the economy finally is bottoming out after years of decline.
A new report from the Pew Hispanic Center analyzes and compares the counts and characteristics of Latinos who live in the 60 metropolitan areas with the largest Hispanic populations, using data from the 2010 American Community Survey. Two interactive maps that accompany the report show key characteristics of Hispanics in those metropolitan areas and population distribution across counties of the six largest Hispanic origin groups. Read more
The Census Bureau reported today that the nation’s poverty rate was unchanged at 15.0% in 2011 and that 46.2 million people lived in poverty, also not statistically different from 2010, a pattern change after three consecutive years of increase in both numbers. How do Americans describe their own economic circumstances, and how much priority do they give to helping the needy? A number of recent Pew Research Center reports are relevant to the national debate about poverty and economic well-being. Read more
A new Pew Research Center report documents a “lost decade” for middle-income Americans, analyzing government data that shows a decline in economic well-being and exploring findings from a new survey that adults who describe themselves as middle class are somewhat more downbeat about their finances and their children’s future than they used to be. Read more
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About Pew Research Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
