CB12-FF.17 

 July 31, 2012 

Grandparents Day 2012: Sept. 9 

In 1970, Marian McQuade began a campaign to establish a day to honor grandparents. But such 

a day was not formally established until 1978, when President Jimmy Carter signed a federal 

proclamation, approving the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. Since 

Sept. 9, 1979, it has been celebrated every year in honor of our nation’s grandparents with whom 

one in 10 of all children in the U.S. live. The Census Bureau presents updates of statistics about 

their role and responsibilities in our society. 

7.0 million 

The number of grandparents whose grandchildren younger than 18 were living with them in 

2010. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/>, Table B10050 

Grandparents as Caregivers 

2.7 million 

The number of grandparents responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren under 

18 living with them in 2010. Of these caregivers, 1.7 million were grandmothers and 1.0 million 

were grandfathers. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, 

<http://factfinder.census.gov/>, Table B10056 

580,000 

The number of grandparents responsible for grandchildren under 18 and whose income was 

below the poverty level in the past 12 months compared with the 2.2 million grandparent 

caregivers whose income was at or above the poverty level. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, 

<http://factfinder.census.gov/> Table B10059 

$45,000 

Median income for families with grandparent householders responsible for grandchildren under 

18. Among these families, where a parent of the grandchildren was not present, the median 

income was $33,000. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov> Table B10010 
1.9 million 

The number of married (including separated) grandparents responsible for caring for their 

grandchildren. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, <http://facfinder.census.gov/>, 

Table B10057 

1.7 million 

The number of grandparents responsible for grandchildren who were in the labor force, out of the 

total 2.7 million who were responsible for grandchildren. 

Source: U. S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, 

<http://facfinder.census.gov/>, Table B10058 

670,000 

The number of grandparents who had a disability and were responsible for their grandchildren. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, 

<http://factfinder.census.gov/>, Table B10052 

1.9 million 

The estimate of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren who were living in owneroccupied housing, compared with 840,000 that were living in renter-occupied housing. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010, American Community Survey, 

<http://fact finder.census.gov/>, Table B10061 

490,000 

The number of foreign-born grandparents responsible for their own grandchildren younger than 

18. This contrasts with 2.2 million native-born grandparent caregivers. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, 

<http://fact finder.census.gov/>, Table B10053. 

2.1 million 

The number of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren, who speak only English. 

Another 270,000 speak another language, but speak English “very well”; 390,000 speak another 

language and speak English less than “very well.” 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/>, Table B10054 

Grandchildren 

5.4 million 

The number of children under 18 living with a grandparent householder in 2010. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey, 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/>, Table B10001 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10% 

Percentage of children in the U.S. living with a grandparent in 2010, totaling 7.5 million. 

Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2010, 

<http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2010.html> Table C4 

3.2 million 

The number of children living with both grandmother and grandfather in 2010. 

Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2010, 

<http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2010.html> Table C4 

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features 

series: 

African-American History Month (February)

Super Bowl
 

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) 

Women’s History Month (March)
 

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/
 

St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) 

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) 

Older Americans Month (May) 

Cinco de Mayo (May 5)
 

Mother’s Day 

Father’s Day 

The Fourth of July (July 4)
 

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26) 

Back to School (August)
 

 Labor Day 

Grandparents Day 

Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) 

Unmarried and Single Americans Week 

Halloween (Oct. 31) 

American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month 

 (November)
 

Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
 

Thanksgiving Day
 

 The Holiday Season (December)
 

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling 

variability and other sources of error. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public 

Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; or e-mail: <pio@census.gov>.