Household Types & Age of Residents

Date posted: 03/11/2008

Both the 2000 Census and the 2006 American Community Survey were used as data sources for the following charts. According to Census 2000 definitions, a "household" is an individual or a group of people who occupy a housing unit, whereas a "family" is a group of two or more people, one of whom is the householder, who live together and are related by birth, marriage, or adoption. Family types include 'Married Couple', 'Unmarried Partner', 'Female Head of Household', and 'Male Head of Household'. See Additional Information for further descriptions of Census 2000 definitions.

The American Community Survey lets communities see how they are changing by filling in the gaps between each 10-year census. Larimer County was included in the American Community Survey for the first time in 2005. The Survey counts exclude people residing in group settings such as the Colorado State University dormitories and the Larimer County Detention Center.

What this chart shows: Family & Non-Family Households - United States, Colorado & Larimer County

Data Source: United States Census Bureau, Census 2000

See data table

What these data tell us:

According to the United States Census, in 2000 the ratio of family households to non-family households varied in Larimer County communities. Slightly over 70% of Berthoud, Loveland and Wellington households were families. Fort Collins had the lowest ratio of families to non-families at 56.2%. One explanation for the difference is that Fort Collins is a university town with a large student population.

What this chart shows: Family Households by Type - Larimer County, 2006

Data Source: United States Census Bureau, 2006 American Community Survey

See data table

What these data tell us:

In Larimer County, 80% of households contained married couples, and 35% of those families had children under 18. There are more than two times the number of female householders with children less than 18 years old than male householders with children less than 18 years old living in the County.

What this chart shows: Households with Children by Family Type - United States, Colorado & Larimer County

Data Source: United States Census Bureau, 2006 American Community Survey

See data table

What these data tell us:

In 2006 throughout the United States, Colorado, and Larimer County, the number of married-couples with children under 18 years old far exceeded the number of female and male householders with children under 18 years old.

However, in Larimer County, the number of married-couples with children under 18 years old in 2006 was 72%, which was an 8% decrease from the 2000 Census. Colorado and Larimer County have slightly higher than national percentages of married-couples with children under 18 years old.

What this chart shows: Households with Children by Family Type - Larimer County Cities & Towns

Data Source: United States Census Bureau, Census 2000

See data table

What these data tell us:

Larimer County's children are more likely to be living in a married couple family (80%) than the Colorado (76%) and national (73%) averages. Within the county, Estes Park had the highest percentage (22%) of children under 18 living with a female householder.

Additional Information:

United States Census 2000, American Factfinder is a searchable database of Census information.

Census 2000 Definitions -

A household consists of all people who occupy a particular housing unit as their usual residence, or who live there at the time of the interview and have no usual residence elsewhere. The usual residence is the place where the person lives and sleeps most of the time. This place is not necessarily the same as a legal residence, voting residence, or domicile. Households include not only occupants related to the householder but also any lodgers, roomers, boarders, partners, wards, foster children, and resident employees who share the living quarters of the householder. It includes people temporarily away for reasons such as visiting, traveling in connection with their jobs, attending school, in general hospitals, and in other temporary locations. By definition, the count of households is the same as the count of occupied housing units.

Married-couple families include the householder and spouse, and any other people who are related to the householder and live in the household. If the householder's spouse is not present, but another married couple is present, for example daughter and son-in-law or mother- and father-in-law, the household is not counted here as a married-couple family.

Female Head of Household & Male Head of Household include households with female/male householders who are widowed, divorced, separated or single, or who are married, but the husband/wife is absent for other reasons.

On Compass -

• Children in Families - Single and Two Parents
• Grandparents as Caregivers
• Growth
• Housing Units
• Median Family Income
• Population by Age
• Population Size & Growth
• Public School Enrollment

Outside Compass -

• American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) - Care and Family
• Centers for Disease Control - Tips for Raising Safe and Healthy Children [pdf]
• Colorado Demography Office

Data Tables:

Family & Non-Family Households

Census 2000	Family Households	Non-Family Households
United States	68.1%	31.9%
Colorado	65.4%	34.6%
Larimer County	65.0%	35.0%
Berthoud	73.1%	26.9%
Campion	79.7%	20.3%
Estes Park	61.6%	38.4%
Fort Collins	56.2%	43.8%
Loveland	71.1%	28.9%
Red Feather Lakes	66.8%	33.2%
Wellington	74.4%	25.6%

See chart

Family Households by Type - Larimer County, 2006

2006 American Community Survey	Number of Households	Percentage of Total Family Households
Total Family Households	72,137	100%
Married Couple & Children under 18	25,118	35%
Male Householder & Children under 18	3,215	4%
Female Householder & Children under 18	6,612	9%
Married Couple	32,325	45%
Male Householder	2,021	3%
Female Householder	2,846	4%

See chart

Households with Children by Family Type

2006 American Community Survey	United States	% United States	Colorado	% Colorado	Larimer County	% Larimer County
Married-couple with children under 18 years	24,149,585	69%	413,056	72%	25,118	72%
Female Householder with children under 18 years	8,305,456	24%	117,558	20%	6,612	19%
Male Householder with children under 18 years	2,510,889	7%	43,911	8%	3,215	9%

See chart

Households with Children by Family Type

Census 2000	Berthoud	Estes Park	Fort Collins	Loveland	Wellington
Married-couple with children under 18 years	649	308	10,525	5,539	316
Female Householder with children under 18 years	103	98	2,112	1,123	66
Male Householder with children under 18 years	38	49	798	403	36
Percentage	Berthoud	Estes Park	Fort Collins	Loveland	Wellington
Married-couple with children under 18 years	82%	68%	78%	78%	76%
Female Householder with children under 18 years	13%	22%	16%	16%	16%
Male Householder with children under 18 years	5%	11%	6%	6%	9%

See chart

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