Children Living at Home

Children Living at Home

• Less than 6 Years of Age, as a Proportion of all Children
• Aged 6 to 14 Years, as a Proportion of all Children
• Aged 15 to 17 Years, as a Proportion of all Children
• Aged 18 to 24 Years, as a Proportion of all Children
• 25 Years and Over, as a Proportion of all Children

The term "children", as defined by Statistics Canada, refers to never married sons and/or daughters (including step and adopted children), living with their parents, regardless of the age of the children.

As of the 1996 Census, there were a total of 9 369 755 children living at home, including children 25 years of age and older. Of these children 6 869 705 lived in married couple families, 74% of all children living at home. A total of 735 565 lived in common-law families and 1 764 485 lived in lone-parent families.

[D]
Click for larger version, 17 KB
Figure 1. Proportion of Children in Private Households by Family Structure

The results of the 1994 to 1995 National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) indicate a number of major trends in families with children. A selection is listed below:

• The number of children per family has been decreasing, and the largest proportion of children between the ages of 0 to 18 years had only one sibling (46%).
• Of children aged 0 to 11, at the time of the survey, nearly 20% were reported as only children.
• For the same age group, a third of the children had two or more siblings.
• The fertility rate in Canada has dropped from 3.9 children per woman in 1960 to 1.7 in 1992.
• In 1993, 27% of all children born in Canada were born to women who had never been married.
• Eighty-two percent of Canadian children live in urban centres and 18% live in rural communities. This difference has been growing steadily over many decades due to the move from an agriculture-based economy to one dominated by industry.

The decrease in family size may be attributed to the higher participation rate of mothers in the paid workforce. The introduction of better methods of contraception and public health services has also contributed to the choices made by families. More women have delayed childbirth and in some cases have chosen to remain childless. According to the NLSCY, the average age of a mother at the birth of her first child in 1992 was 27 years, up from 23 years in 1971.

This series of map layers shows the distribution of children by age groups as a proportion of all children living at home, based on 1996 Census data. The age groups are presented as separate map layers that may be viewed individually.

Children Living at Home, Less than 6 Years of Age, as a Proportion of all Children

This age group represented 24% of all children living at home. The patterns evident on the map show that the highest proportions of this age group were found in the Northwest Territories, Quebec and the northern Prairie Provinces. This distribution is partly attributed to the higher proportion of young common-law families, particularly in Quebec and the Northwest Territories. Children of this age group were also relatively common in the suburbs of major cities. Newfoundland had the lowest overall proportion of this age group.

Children Living at Home, Aged 6 to 14 Years, as a Proportion of all Children

Of children 6 to 14 years of age, the pattern of distribution is similar to that found for the younger age group. The most significant differences illustrate a lower proportion of this age group (relative to other areas) in Labrador, Newfoundland and much of the Maritime Provinces, with the opposite occurring in the Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. This age group accounted for 37.4% of all children, the largest proportion of children living at home.

Children Living at Home, Aged 15 to 17 Years, as a Proportion of all Children

Children between the ages of 15 and 17, based on the map, were distributed fairly evenly across Canada with the exception of the Northwest Territories and the northern census divisions in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The highest proportion of this age group was found in Newfoundland, southern Quebec, southern British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. As a proportion of all children living at home, this age group represented 12.2 % of the total.

Children Living at Home, Aged 18 to 24 Years, as a Proportion of all Children

The maps showing the 18 to 24 age group and the 25 years and over age group display similar patterns. There are significant concentrations of these older children east of Manitoba, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces.

Children Living at Home, 25 Years and Over, as a Proportion of all Children

There has been a substantial increase in the number of young adults living in their parental home. According to the results of the 1996 Census, 47% of women aged 20 to 34 lived with their parents, while over half of young unmarried men lived at home. A number of factors have influenced this trend: Longer periods of time spent in schooling, higher rates of unemployment and economic instability during the early 1980's and in the early 1990's have influenced young adults towards placing more dependence on parents.

The distribution of children 25 years and over living at home is similar to the previous age group. There are higher proportions of young adults east of Quebec, throughout the Maritime Provinces with the highest concentration found in Newfoundland.

To properly interpret this map, please consult the text Data and Mapping Notes.

• Family Structure Map | Read about this map
• Marital Status, 1996 Map | Read about this map
• Families with Children Living at Home Map | Read about this map

• People & Society
• Family
• Families (1996)
• References and Links