Race, Place and Family: Race/Ethnic Differences among Nonmetro Female-Headed Families

Anastasia R. Snyder, Pennsylvania State University
Diane K. McLaughlin, Pennsylvania State University
Jill L. Findeis, Pennsylvania State University
Alishia Coleman, Pennsylvania State University
Mary Ann Demi, Pennsylvania State University

This paper analyzes racial/ethnic differences among female-headed families in nonmetro versus metro America, with a focus on alternative female-headed family structures – co-habitation, subfamilies, residence with grandparents, among other similar structures. Few data sets allow the level of disaggregation for a focus on nonmetro areas. The result is that little is known at this time on nonmetro race/ethnic variations across female-headed families where so many are poor. Clearly, understanding where race, ethnicity and residence make differences in outcomes within female-headed families serve to better inform policy – a critical focus given the current policy debate over re-authorization of welfare legislation and the new focus on moving the unmarried into marriage. Understanding the prevalence and implications of different family structures among different populations – Black, Hispanic, and others – is likely to be critically important in this debate. We use data from the 2000 5% PUMS for the analyzes.