In 2007, 29 percent of heads of households with children were unmarried. Within this group, about 18 percent lived with partners and another 21 percent lived with other nonpartner adults. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of unmarried households with children is projected to increase from 11 million to 11.8 million (Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University: The State of the Nation’s Housing 2008).
Although households with one parent and other adults present are included in the broad single-parent category, they have different characteristics. In particular, they have higher household incomes. Among 35 to 44 year-olds, the median income of single-parent house holds that include unmarried partners ($48,452) or other adults ($39,000) was significantly higher than that of single parents alone ($28,928). Furthermore, single parents living with their parents have higher homeownership rates at younger ages (39% among 25-39 year olds) than single parents with a non-partner adult present (36%) or single parents alone (24%). In total, persons living alone are expected to account for 36% of household growth between 2010 and 2020. .