Census Bureau Looks at Recession Families

The Census Bureau decided to look at the changes in family statistics after a two-year recession. Millions of families have experienced significant changes in their lives that include unemployment and foreclosure. These changes have led to new trends. By documenting these trends the government is able to collect useful information that can help agencies establish policies and procedures in the future that will be anticipatory and beneficial.

The statistics the Census Bureau collected are grim. Unemployment rates for families with children have doubled in the last two years. In these same families there were 6 percent of the husbands unemployed and 4 percent of the wives. Among the unmarried parents, the unemployment figures are much worse. There were 16 percent single fathers unemployed and 8 percent single mothers.

Buried in these numbers is the fact that in families with children there were fewer homes where both parents worked and it was because more men were unemployed. In 2009 there were only 59 percent of married couple households where both mother and father worked.

The Census Bureau also looked at figures based on race. Among African-American married couples, there was 12 percent reporting that only the wife was employed. In fact, many stay-at-home moms have had to enter the job market to support the family as male unemployment rose.

The Census Bureau also looked at how many children live in a two parent home. Among Asians, the rate was 85 percent. Among the non-Hispanic whites, the rate was 78 percent. Among the blacks, the rate was 38 percent. Among the Hispanic households the rate was 69 percent.

The recession has led to many households combining resources. Children graduating from college have had to return home upon graduation after being unable to obtain employment. Families are sharing homes and apartments to cut expenses in half. The ways people are surviving through the recession are often innovative too. There are families living in tents and campers in trailer parks after losing homes to foreclosure.

As the economy recovers it is hoped that jobs will become available. But that is not going to happen quickly. The Federal Reserve has issued a report that indicates unemployment will remain high into 2011 and possibly 2012 with high being in the 7 percent to 9 percent range. Unemployment is still at 10 percent, but even that number does not include those who have given up looking for a job after collecting unemployment for months.

The government is planning on funding additional stimulus programs that are intended to create new jobs. For example, funds are being released that are intended to create “green” jobs such as for home weatherproofing. Only 20 percent of stimulus funds were actually committed in 2009 and there will be a much larger percent issued in 2010 creating a bell curve.

Of course, for consumer struggling to endure unemployment the promise of government jobs is ringing somewhat hollow. The recession is now 2 years old and many households are living on unemployment benefits that have been extended several times. What happens when the extensions end? Their message to Washington is really quite simple: we need jobs.

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