The number of grandparents who are the primary caretakers for their grandchildren fell significantly over the decade, accompanying a drop in the percentage of grandparents who live with their grandchildren. A Social Explorer analysis of newly released 2015-19 American Community Survey data finds only about 12.3 percent of grandparents are taking care of their grandchildren, a sharp fall from the 14.6 percent rate in 2010.

The decline was apparent across the country. In Wirt County, W.Va., and Saunders County, Neb., the percentage of children whose grandparents were primary caretakers fell 98.6 percent. In Mercer County, Mo., on the Iowa border, the number of grandparents who were primary guardians rose from one in 2010 to 51 last year – a 5,000 percent increase. Check out the changes in the percentage of grandparents who are solely responsible for their grandchildren’s care with Social Explorer’s customizable mapping tools.

Grandparents Solely Responsible for Grandchildren, 2010-18. Click here to explore further.

Author: Frank Bass