The table illustrates the percentages of different household compositions in a North American country in 1970 and 2003.
Overall, married couples accounted for the largest proportion of households in both years, although their share declined markedly over the period. By contrast, non-family households, particularly single-person households and shared accommodation, became considerably more common. The proportions of households consisting of a single parent with children changed only slightly.
In 1970, married couples made up the majority of households, representing 61%. However, this figure fell significantly to 41% by 2003. In comparison, households headed by a father with children and those headed by a mother with children experienced only marginal increases, rising from 9% to 10% and from 10% to 11% respectively. Similarly, households where other members shared accommodation grew slightly from 13% to 14%.
In contrast, non-family households saw substantial growth. The proportion of people living alone more than tripled, increasing from 4% in 1970 to 13% in 2003. A similar upward trend was observed in shared households, which rose from 3% to 11%, reaching a level comparable to that of mother-with-children households by the end of the period.