Sociodemographic Characteristics of Fathers by Fathers’ Coresidential Status

Family Profile No. 20, 2023
Author: Katherine Graham

Fathers do not always reside with their biological or adopted children. Previous research has found that 78% of fathers have only coresidential children, 12% of fathers have only non-coresidential children, and 10% of fathers have both non- and coresidential children (FP-22-22 & Child Trends, 2023). This profile is an extension of FP-22-22. We use a pooled sample of the 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 cycles of the National Survey of Family Growth to examine differences in union status, education level, race/ethnicity, and median age by fathers’ coresidential status. We consider fathers with only coresidential, only non-coresidential, and both non- and coresidential biological or adopted children.

Union Status

  • Among fathers with only coresidential children, almost all were in coresidential relationships (91%). Over three-fourths were married (78%) and 13% were cohabiting. Fewer than one in ten (9%) fathers with only coresidential children were single with 5% previously married single and 4% never married single.
  • Among fathers with only non-coresidential children, a majority were single with 27% previously married single and 41% never married single. Less than one-third of fathers with only non-coresidential children were in marital or cohabiting relationships (19% and 13%, respectively).
  • Over half of fathers with both non- and coresidential children were married (53%) and over one-third were cohabiting (35%). Like fathers with only coresidential children, about one in ten fathers with both non- and coresidential children were previously married single or never married single (8% and 4%, respectively).

Figure 1.  Union Status by Fathers’ Coresidence Status

graph showing Figure 1. Union Status by Fathers’ Coresidence Status
Source: NCFMR calculations of NSFG 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 Male data files.

Education Level

  • Fathers with only coresidential children had the highest level of educational attainment. About one-third had a bachelor’s degree or higher (35%) and 27% had some college education. Nearly three in ten (28%) fathers with only coresidential children had a high school diploma and one in ten (10%) had less than a high school-level education.
  • Fathers with only non-coresidential children had the lowest levels of education: 16% had a bachelor’s degree or higher and 22% had some college education. Over half had a high school education or less. A quarter had less than a high school education (24%) and over one third had a high school education (38%).
  • For fathers with both non- and coresidential children, 12% had a college degree or higher, 22% had some college education, almost half had a high school education (48%), and 18% had less than a high school education.

Figure 2. Education Level by Fathers’ Coresidence Status 

graph showing Figure 2. Education Level by Fathers’ Coresidence Status
Source: NCFMR calculations of NSFG 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 Male data files

Race/Ethnicity

  • A majority of only coresidential fathers were non-Hispanic White (60.3%), 8.9% were non-Hispanic Black, 22.5% were Hispanic, and 8.3% were multi-racial or another race/ethnicity.
  • Over one-third of non-coresidential fathers were non-Hispanic White (35.6%), about a quarter were non-Hispanic Black (26.8%). Three in ten non-coresidential fathers were Hispanic and 7.9% were multi-racial or another race/ethnicity.
  • Among fathers with both non- and coresidential children, about 39.6% were non-Hispanic White, 22.7% were non-Hispanic Black, 28.9% were Hispanic and 8.8% were multi-racial or another race/ethnicity.

Figure 3.  Race/ethnicity by Fathers’ Coresidence Status

graph showing Figure 3. Race/ethnicity by Fathers’ Coresidence Status
Source: NCFMR calculations of NSFG 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 Male data files

Median Age

  • The median age of fathers with only coresidential children and fathers with only non-coresidential children was 38 years old. Fathers with both non- and coresidential children were six years younger with a median age of 32 years old.

Figure 4.  Median Age by Fathers’ Coresidence Status

graph showing Figure 4. Median Age by Fathers’ Coresidence Status
Source: NCFMR calculations of NSFG 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 Male data files
Data Source:

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). National Survey of Family Growth Public-Use Data and Documentation. Hyattsville, MD: CDC National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg/index.htm

References:

Graham, K. (2022). Coresidential fathers with minor children, 2015-2019. Family Profiles, FP-22-22. Bowling Green, OH: National Center for Family & Marriage Research. https://doi.org/10.25035/ncfmr/fp-22-22

Graham, K., Manning, W.D., Payne, K.K., Brown, S.L., Guzzo, K.B., & Wildsmith, E. (2023). Celebrating and supporting fathers’ roles in caring for children. Child Trends. https://doi.org/10.56417/5709z2107s

Suggested Citation:

Graham, K. (2023). Sociodemographic Characteristics of Fathers by Fathers’ Coresidential Status. Family Profiles, FP-23-20. Bowling Green, OH: National Center for Family & Marriage Research. https://doi.org/10.25035/ncfmr/fp-23-20

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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: 06/05/2024 11:18AM