Why families prosper
December 10, 2008| By David Talbot
FamilyFacts.org's December Top Ten Findings reveal consistent links between family structure and economic well-being.
Experts in Heritage's Devos Center for Religion and Civil Society compile social science data supporting traditional American values. www.FamilyFacts.org
Here is what the experts concluded from their findings.
1. Cohabitation and Poverty. On average, married couples are less likely than cohabiting couples to be in poverty. full details
2. Income Trends. Over time, married couples-with or without children-have a higher family income, on average, than all other family structures. full details
3. Net worth/household wealth. Married-couple households have, on average, substantially greater net-worth than households with other types of living arrangements. full details
4. Mothers' household income. On average, married mothers have much higher per-capita family incomes than peers who are divorced, single, or cohabiting. full details
5. Child poverty. Children in married-couple families are less likely to live in poverty than peers in non-married households. full details
6. Household assets. On average, married-couple families accumulate significantly more assets than female-headed households. full details
7. Adult single mothers. The economic status of adult single mothers is, on average, closer to that of teen single mothers than that of married peers. full details
8. Cohabitation and income. Married men tend to have higher incomes than men in cohabiting relationships. full details
9. Marriage and savings. Married couples tend to save more than unmarried couples. full details
10. Parental divorce. Following a divorce, the economic resources of mothers and children tend to decline substantially. full details
