1-parent families doubled in the '70s, census

June 18, 1982

One-parent families doubled in the last decade - accompanied by a startling rise in the number of unwed mothers who raise their children - a new Census Bureau look at America's families showed Thursday.

At the same time, more fathers than ever before are rearing their children alone. Census Bureau Director Bruce Chapman said the results indicate the question of poverty in one-parent homes - particularly the 90 percent headed by women - may be a major issue of the decade.