Chapter 1

The 1970s was a decade of particularly rapid change in life-styles in the United States. The postponement of marriage by many young adults and the escalating divorce rates resulted in a large increase in the proportion of one-person households. Sharp increases in the proportion of illegitimate births—in combination with rising rates of separation and divorce—brought substantial increases in the proportion of children living in one-parent families. Average household size and average family size declined. The total fertility rate, which had declined by 50 percent from 1960 to 1975, leveled off after 1975. First and second births to women 25-34 years old increased significantly after 1975, suggesting that these cohorts were making up for their very low levels of fertility in previous years. Illegitimate birthrates, which had almost quadrupled between 1940 and 1970, decreased during the 1970s; however, the proportion of all births that were illegitimate continued to increase. These changes are not interpreted as evidence that Americans are moving away from their basic orientation to marriage and a family existence.