176,000 At-Home Dads (2011 U.S. Census) 154,000 At-Home Dads (2010 U.S. Census) 158,000 At-Home Dads (2009 U.S. Census) 140,000 At-Home Dads (2008 U.S. Census) 165,000 At-Home Dads (2007 U.S. Census) 159,000 At-Home Dads (2006 U.S. Census) 143,000 At-Home Dads (2005 U.S. Census) 147,000 At-Home Dads (2004 U.S. Census) 98,000 At-Home Dads (2003 U.S. Census) 106,000 At-Home Dads (2002 U.S. Census) 81,000 At-Home Dads (2001 U.S. Census) 93,000 At-Home Dads (2000 U.S. Census) (To review these Census numbers go to Families and Living Arrangements and look for table FG8 in the detailed tables)
These numbers are misleading The Census only counts a father as an at-home dad if he has not earned any income or looked for work in the past year, but many at-home dads earn some income at a part-time job or work from home. The Census also excludes gay fathers and those too embarrassed to report they are at-home dads by claiming to be looking for work or being part-time students.
Perhaps a more accurate number is the U.S. Census report on Childcare Arrangements in which 32% of fathers married to working moms are the primary caregiver of their children 15 years old and younger. while mom is at work. If we assume that each of these fathers is caring for, on average, 2 children, then the true number is about:
1.95 MILLION At-Home Dads!!!
This is an increase of approximately 450,000 at-home dads since 2005.
So, what's going on here? Why does one Census Report say there are 150,000 and another suggestst there are as many as 2 million at-home dads? The first is based on an out-dated assumption that you can only be an at-home dad if you make no income or are going to school. The second, more realistic number, is based on childcare arrangements. The plain fact is that many men earn an income while at home with the kids or after their wives get home from work, a reality the Census has been unable to fix in their studies.
Take a look at some of these other numbers and trends about at-home dads:
