Family Structure and Poverty Changes Among Black Families in the United States: A State of Families Project Report (1967-2022)

Abstract

This report is the first in a series of State of Families (SoF) project data reports to be published throughout Volume 60 (2024) of Marriage and Family Review (MFR). MFR partnered with the Statistical Consulting Center at Miami University to systematically analyze the conditional state of U.S. families and family life across diverse contexts. This inaugural report focuses on Black families (with and without children under 18 years of age) in the United States, examining changes in family structure and poverty levels over time (1967-2022). Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we explore trends in married-couple families, single-parent families, cohabiting households, and other family types within the Black population. Additionally, we investigate the dynamics of poverty among different family structures within this group. The report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape of Black families in the context of broader societal shifts and economic realities.