Grandparents’ Characteristics by Age, 2022
Family Profile No. 20, 2024
Author: Krista K. Westrick-Payne
This profile is an update of
FP-18-04 & FP-23-02
The average age of grandparents in the U.S. in 2022 was 68 years. Grandparenthood is more common among older adults (aged 65 and older) than those in midlife (aged 40-64). In 2022, the percentage of older adults who were grandparents (67%) was more than 2.5 times greater than the percentage among those in midlife (24%). Data from the 2023 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) are used to update Wu, 2018 & Westrick-Payne, 2023 comparing midlife grandparents to those at older ages across demographic characteristics in 2022. The SIPP is a nationally representative household-based survey that directly asks respondents if they are a grandparent, making it one of the few national surveys that identify non-resident grandparents. This profile is number three in our 2024 series on grandparents in the U.S.
Prevalence of Grandparenthood by Age
- Slightly less than one-quarter (24%) of mid-life adults were grandparents, representing 24.6 million adults. This share is smaller than the share in 2014 when one-third (33%) of mid-life adults were grandparents.
- Over two-thirds (67%) of older adults (aged 65 and older) were grandparents. This represents 39.5 million grandparents. Like mid-life adults, the share of older adults who were grandparents is lower in 2021 than in 2014 when 3 in 4 (76%) were grandparents.
Figure 1. Grandparenthood by Age, 2014 & 2022
Note: We define “older grandparents” as those aged 65 and older and “midlife grandparents” as those aged 40-64.
Race/Ethnicity of Grandparents by Age
- Four-in-ten (40%) midlife grandparents and about one-quarter (24%) of older grandparents belonged to a racial/ethnic minority group.
- More than one-fifth (22%) of midlife grandparents were Hispanic and 16% were Black. Only 3% of midlife grandparents were Asian.
- One-in-ten (10%) older grandparents were Black or Hispanic. A small share was Asian (5%).
- Whites composed a higher proportion of older grandparents compared to midlife grandparents (76% and 60%, respectively).
Figure 2. Race/Ethnicity of Grandparents by Age, 2022
Note: We define “older grandparents” as those aged 65 and older and “midlife grandparents” as those aged 40-64.
Educational Attainment of Grandparents by Age
- The education differences among midlife and older grandparents were modest.
- Nearly one-third of older grandparents (31%) had at least a college degree in contrast to about one-fifth (22%) of midlife grandparents.
- Similar shares of midlife and older grandparents had some college education: 27% among midlife grandparents and 26% among older grandparents.
- Slightly more than one-third (35%) of midlife grandparents had a high school level education compared to slightly less than one-third (30%) of older grandparents.
- Similar shares of older grandparents and midlife grandparents had less than a high school education (17% and 12%, respectively).
Figure 3. Educational Attainment of Grandparents by Age, 2022
Note: We define “older grandparents” as those aged 65 and older and “midlife grandparents” as those aged 40-64.
Relationship Status of Grandparents by Age
- Midlife grandparents and older grandparents differed in their relationship status.
- Most grandparents were married, with levels at 61% for midlife grandparents and 59% for older grandparents.
- One-fifth of both midlife grandparents and their older counterparts were divorced or separated (21%).
- The share of midlife widowed grandparents was higher among older grandparents (5% of midlife compared to 15% of older grandparents).
- Few grandparents were cohabiting (6% of midlife grandparents and 3% of older grandparents).
- About 7% of midlife grandparents were never married and only 2% of older grandparents had never married.
Figure 4. Relationship Status of Grandparents by Age, 2022
Note: We define “older grandparents” as those aged 65 and older and “midlife grandparents” as those aged 40-64.
Data Source:
U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation 2014, Wave 1, and 2023. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sipp.html
References:
Wu, H. (2018). Grandparents’ characteristics by age. Family Profiles, FP-18-04. Bowling Green, OH: National Center for Family & Marriage Research. https://doi.org/10.25035/ncfmr/fp-18-04
Westrick-Payne, K. K. (2023). Prevalence of grandparenthood in the U.S., 2021. Family Profile, FP-23-02. Bowling Green, OH: National Center for Family & Marriage Research. https://doi.org/10.25035/ncfmr/fp-23-02
Suggested Citation:
Westrick-Payne, K. K. (2024). Prevalence of grandparenthood in the U.S., 2022. Family Profile, FP-24-20. Bowling Green, OH: National Center for Family & Marriage Research. https://doi.org/10.25035/ncfmr/fp-24-20
This project is supported with assistance from Bowling Green State University. From 2007 to 2013, support was also provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and should not be construed as representing the opinions or policy of any agency of the state or federal government.
Updated: 09/13/2024 01:38PM