Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 24, 1993                   TAG: 9306240252
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From The Associated Press and The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

MARRIED STILL IN MAJORITY, BUT PERCENTAGE DROPS

The traditional American family has been declining for more than half a century. In 1940, 90 percent of American households were married-couple families. In 1990, 56 percent of America's households were headed by married couples. Last year, 55 percent fit that description.

"I don't think the words, `Till death do us part,' mean the same in 1993 as they did in 1943 or in 1913. Then they meant, `I'll stand this relationship even if it kills me,' " said Dan Byrne, deputy director of the House of Ruth, a nonprofit social service organization that assists women and children.

The pace of change appears to be leveling off, said Steve W. Rawlings, a family demographer at the Census Bureau.

"It's not this frenetic, dynamic, dramatic change that we saw between 1970 and '80," he said.

The Census Bureau said there are 95.7 million households in the United States, 2.3 million more than in 1990.

Single-parent families account for nearly one-third of that growth. About one household in 10 is headed by a single parent.

One household in four is someone living alone.

Among America's racial and ethnic groups, black households are least likely to be headed by married couples. Fifty-three percent are households headed by single men and women.

Married couples account for 82 percent of white households and 79 percent of Asian-Pacific Islander households.

Among Hispanics, 68 percent of households are married couples.

Some other facts about American households in 1992:

Average size: 2.62 people, unchanged since 1990, down from 2.76 in 1980 and 3.14 in 1970.

Most common size: Two people - 30.7 million households.

Number of seven-person households: 1.3 million, about one in 100.

Average age of the head of the household: 45 years, 8 months.

Households headed by senior citizens: 20.9 million - 765,000 more than in 1990.

Households headed by persons under 30: 13.7 million - 875,000 fewer than in 1990.