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To mark the celebration of Grandparents Day, the Census Bureau has culled from its statistical reports the following data on grandparents. (Unless otherwise indicated, the statistics are for 1997.)
Nearly 4.7 million of the nation's grandparents lived with their grandchildren. Four-fifths (79%) of these grandparents maintained the household in which the grandchildren lived. The remainder lived in households maintained by their own children - the parents of the grandchildren.
All told, 2.9 million grandmothers lived with their grandchildren: 2.3 million in homes they maintained and 636,000 in homes maintained by their sons or daughters. Some 1.7 million grandfathers resided with their grandchildren: 1.4 million in homes they maintained and 344,000 in homes maintained by their sons or daughters.
About 5.4 million children nationwide lived with their grandparents; these children comprised 8% of all children in the United States. Of these children, 3.9 million lived in homes maintained by their grandparents and 1.5 million lived in homes maintained by their parents. The number of children residing in homes maintained by grandparents represents increases of 641,000 since 1992 and 1.6 million since 1980.
The following chart compares the characteristics of two different types of grandparents who live with their grandchildren: those who maintained their own homes and those residing in homes maintained by their sons or daughters.
| Grandparents who maintained their own homes | Grandparents in homes maintained by their son or daughter |
| Only 21% of the grandfathers and 15% of the grandmothers were 65 or older. | 56% of the grandfathers and 50% of grandmothers were 65 or older. |
| A majority of both grandfathers (72%) and grandmothers (56%) were employed in 1996. | Only 33% of the grandfathers and 24% of the grandmothers were employed in 1996. |
| About 36% of both grandfathers and grandmothers were in "excellent" or "very good" health. | About 27% of both grandfathers and were in "excellent" or "very good" health. |
| The majority of grandfathers (90%) and grandmothers (56%) were married and (21%) were married and living with their spouse. | A minority of grandfathers (38%) and grandmothers (21%) were married and living with their spouse. |
Further information on this subject is available on the Internet at:
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-115.html
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