In America, the small nuclear family, with children at its center, has become established. A large family, including people of several generations and distant relatives, is rare even on farms and in immigrant communities.
The number of families from the total number of households is about 70%.
Family values play a huge role for Americans. Advertising, TV shows, series and soap operas are based on the idea of a good family. Even children’s shows talk about family as the greatest blessing. Hollywood films cultivate the idea of a Home that needs to be protected and a Family where joy and pain are the same for everyone.
In terms of demographic indicators, the United States leads among Western countries, which is largely due to the high standard of living, the country’s dominant position in the world and the wide opportunities for attracting migrants. Since 1995, the country has had the highest birth rate in developed countries — 2.07 children per woman of childbearing age in 2003, which is close to the level of simple population replacement. This suggests that in 15-20 years the United States will be able to meet its labor force needs from domestic resources, while Western European countries will need to import about 40 million migrants by 2025.
However, over the past 30 years, the family in the United States has undergone a significant transformation and plays a less important role than before. The proportion of intact families is decreasing. For several decades now, the country has been the leader in the number of divorces. The average age of marriage has steadily increased — 25.1 years for women and 26.8 years for men (as of 2000). In one generation, attitudes toward the institution of family have changed: while recognizing the importance of marriage, Americans consider divorce the best way out for a family that has failed to solve its problems. The birth rate is declining, although the majority expresses a desire to have children.