60% of Men Have Biological Children

Among the 121 million men aged 15 or older in the United States, 60 percent have biological children, according to the Census Bureau's first report on men's fertility. Among their female counterparts, a larger 69 percent have biological children.

Many men in the 15-plus age group have not yet had children. Below is a comparison of the number of children fathered by all men aged 15 or older and by men aged 61 or older, who are likely to have completed their fertility...

Men aged 15 or older by number of children ever fathered
None: 40.5%
One: 14.5%
Two: 23.0%
Three: 12.6%
Four: 5.4%
Five-plus: 4.0%

Men aged 61 or older by number of children ever fathered
None: 15.6%
One: 13.2%
Two: 31.0%
Three: 21.0%
Four: 10.0%
Five-plus: 9.2%

Source: Census Bureau, Men's Fertility and Fatherhood: 2014

Is Your Father Still Alive?

Many Americans celebrated Father's Day yesterday by remembering their father rather than spending time with him. Only 45 percent of adults still have Dad in their life, and the 55 percent majority do not. The percentage of adults whose father is no longer alive becomes the majority in the 45-to-54 age group...

Father is no longer alive
Total 18-plus:   54.8%
Aged 18 to 29:   7.3%
Aged 30 to 44: 32.7%
Aged 45 to 54: 64.2%
Aged 55 to 64: 89.0%
Aged 65-plus:  99.1%

Note: Click here for how many have living mothers.
Source: Demo Memo analysis of the General Social Survey

Single Parents Not Necessarily Going it Alone

Many single parents are living with a partner, reports Pew Research Center in an analysis of the Census Bureau's 2017 Current Population Survey. Fully 35 percent of single parents were living with a partner in 2017, up from 20 percent two decades ago in 1997.

Unmarried parents living with children under age 18
Solo mother: 53%
Solo father: 12%
Cohabiting mother: 18%
Cohabiting father: 17%

Many solo mothers and fathers aren't so alone either. A large share live with their own parents—31 percent of solo fathers and 22 percent of solo mothers. The grandparents "could be playing an important role as caregiver to any grandchildren in the household," says Pew.

Source: Pew Research Center, The Changing Profile of Unmarried Parents