The American family has experienced considerable evolution over the past few decades.
Statistics bear out the degree of change.
The average number in Hispanic-American households increased from three in 1975 to 3.5 in 1998. Fifty-three percent of the households in the United States were headed by married couples in 1998. This compares with 78.2 percent in 1950 and 61 percent in 1980. Fifty-seven percent of U.S. households in 1998 consisted of one or two people. Another 17 percent included a third person, and 15.6 percent were four-person households.