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National Grandparents Day 2015: Sept. 13

Press Release Number CB15-FF.15

In 1970, Marian McQuade initiated a campaign to establish a day to honor grandparents. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a federal proclamation, declaring the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. This day has been celebrated every year since to honor our nation’s grandparents. The Census Bureau presents statistics about their role in our society.

7.2 million

The number of grandparents whose grandchildren under 18 years old were living with them in 2013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10050
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10050>

Grandparents as Caregivers

2.7 million

The number of grandparents responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren under age 18 living with them in 2013. Of these caregivers, 1.7 million were grandmothers and 1.0 million were grandfathers.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10056
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10056>

569,251

The number of grandparents responsible for grandchildren under age 18 and whose income was below the poverty level in the past 12 months, compared with the 2.1 million grandparent caregivers whose income was at or above the poverty level.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10059
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10059>

$48,016

Median income for families with grandparent householders responsible for grandchildren under age 18. Among these families, where a parent of the grandchildren was not present, the median income was $35,685.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10010
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10010>  

1.9 million

The number of married (including separated) grandparents responsible for caring for their grandchildren.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10057
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10057>

1.6 million

The number of grandparents in the labor force responsible for their own grandchildren under age 18. Among them, 354,464 were 60 years or older.
Source: U. S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10058
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10058>

666,686

The number of grandparents who had a disability and were responsible for their grandchildren.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10052
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10052>

1.8 million

The number of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren who were living in owner-occupied housing, compared with 834,183 that were living in renter-occupied housing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10061
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10061>

486,584

The number of foreign-born grandparents responsible for their own grandchildren under age 18. This contrasts with 2.2 million native-born grandparent caregivers.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10053
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10053>

2.0 million

The number of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren who spoke only English. Another 251,992 spoke another language, but spoke English “very well”; 383,888 spoke another language and spoke English less than “very well.”
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10054
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10054>

Grandchildren

5.7 million

The number of children under age 18 living with a grandparent householder in 2013. Nearly half, 47 percent or 2.7 million, were under age 6.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey, Table B10001
<//factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_1YR/B10001>

3.1 million

The number of children in 2014 living with or without one or both parents, and with both grandmother and grandfather.
Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2014, Table C4
<//www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2014C.html>

The following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:

Black (African American) History Month (February)
Super Bowl
Valentine's Day (Feb. 14)
Women's History Month (March)
Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/
      St. Patrick's Day (March 17)
Earth Day (April 22)
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)
Older Americans Month (May)
Mother's Day
Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)
Father's Day
The Fourth of July (July 4)
Anniversary of Americans With Disabilities Act (July 26)
Back to School (August)
Labor Day
Grandparents Day
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
Unmarried and Single Americans Week
Halloween (Oct. 31)
American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)
Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
Thanksgiving Day
The Holiday Season (December)

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; or e-mail: pio@census.gov.

Page Last Revised - December 16, 2021
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