Household and Family Structure

Household and Family Structure

 

Relationship Status

Family Size

Family Structure

Lone-parent Families

Young Adults Living with Their Parents

 

 

Relationship Status

Figure 1 presents the marital status (partnered vs. not partnered) of people aged 15 years and older in Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario in 2016. ‘Partnered’ people include those who are married or living common law (living with a person as a couple but not legally married to that person). ‘Not partnered’ includes people who have never been married, and people who are divorced, separated, or widowed. In Bruce County in 2016, 64.7% of people aged 15 years and older were partnered, as were 62.5% in Grey County, and 57.3% in Ontario.

 

Figure 1: Marital Status (Partnered vs. Not Partnered), Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario, 2016

Marital Statis Graph

 

Table 1 displays the marital status of people aged 15 years and older for Grey Bruce municipalities in 2016. Every municipality had a higher proportion of people who were partnered than Ontario, except Hanover and Owen Sound. Also of note is that widowed persons, who may face hardship arising from the loss of emotional support and income when a partner dies, made up a higher proportion of the population in both Bruce and Grey counties and most of their municipalities when compared to Ontario. This is due in large part to the Grey Bruce population being older than the Ontario average.

 

Table 1. Marital Status, Grey Bruce Municipalities 2016

Geography (population 15+)

Married (%)

Common law (%)

Never married (%)

Separated (%)

Divorced (%)

Widowed (%)

Ontario (11,240,530)

5,531,930 (49.2)

906,155 (8.1)

3,182,785 (28.3)

328,675 (2.9)

653,835 (5.8)

637,150 (5.7)

Grey Bruce (137,325)

73,475 (53.5)

13,585 (9.9)

28,790 (21.0)

3,785 (2.8)

7,790 (5.7)

9,900 (7.2)

Bruce (57,385)

31,730 (55.3)

5,400 (9.4)

11,515 (20.1)

1,535 (2.7)

3,035 (5.3)

4,170 (7.3)

Arran-Elderslie (5,470)

2,905 (53.1)

590 (10.8)

1,135 (20.7)

160 (2.9)

305 (5.6)

375 (6.9)

Brockton (7,865)

4,245 (54.0)

700 (8.9)

1,680 (21.4)

250 (3.2)

385 (4.9)

605 (7.7)

Huron-Kinloss (5,785)

3,470 (60.0)

445 (7.7)

1,085 (18.8)

145 (2.5)

235 (4.1)

405 (7.0)

Kincardine (9,540)

5,300 (55.6)

895 (9.4)

1,890 (19.8)

260 (2.7)

525 (5.5)

670 (7.0)

N. Bruce Peninsula (3,685)

2,170 (58.9)

310 (8.4)

525 (14.2)

85 (2.3)

220 (6.0)

375 (10.2)

Saugeen Shores (11,750)

6,610 (56.3)

1,145 (9.7)

2,225 (18.9)

300 (2.6)

650 (5.5)

820 (7.0)

South Bruce (4,620)

2,650 (57.4)

380 (8.2)

1,065 (23.1)

110 (2.4)

195 (4.2)

220 (4.8)

S. Bruce Peninsula (7,385)

4,010 (54.3)

725 (9.8)

1,385 (18.8)

185 (2.5)

460 (6.2)

620 (8.4)

Grey (79,940)

41,745 (52.2)

8,185 (10.2)

17,275 (21.6)

2,250 (2.8)

4,755 (5.9)

5,730 (7.2)

Blue Mountains (6,370)

3,650 (57.3)

585 (9.2)

1,140 (17.9)

155 (2.4)

395 (6.2)

445 (7.0)

Chatsworth (5,515)

3,085 (55.9)

625 (11.3)

1,150 (20.9)

120 (2.2)

250 (4.5)

285 (5.2)

Georgian Bluffs (9,020)

5,530 (61.3)

785 (8.7)

1,720 (19.1)

185 (2.1)

375 (4.2)

425 (4.7)

Grey Highlands (8,200)

4,440 (54.1)

860 (10.5)

1,785 (21.8)

210 (2.6)

415 (5.1)

490 (6.0)

Hanover (6,505)

3,105 (47.7)

620 (9.5)

1,460 (22.4)

220 (3.4)

415 (6.4)

685 (10.5)

Meaford (9,570)

5,365 (56.1)

950 (9.9)

1,785 (18.7)

215 (2.2)

610 (6.4)

645 (6.7)

Owen Sound (18,260)

7,505 (41.1)

2,065 (11.3)

4,640 (25.4)

675 (3.7)

1,545 (8.5)

1,830 (10.0)

Southgate (5,900)

3,080 (52.2)

645 (10.9)

1,475 (25.0)

165 (2.8)

260 (4.4)

275 (4.7)

West Grey (10,605)

5,985 (56.4)

1,050 (9.9)

2,120 (20.0)

305 (2.9)

485 (4.6)

660 (6.2)

 

Family Characteristics

Family Size

Families are defined by Statistics Canada as a married or common-law couple (with or without children) or as a lone-parent family (one parent plus one or more children). In total Grey Bruce had 48,595 families in 2016. The average family size was 2.8 in Bruce County and 2.7 in Grey County, slightly lower than the provincial average of 2.9. The average number of children was 1.9 in Bruce County and 1.8 in Grey County, similar to the provincial average of 1.8.

Figure 2 displays the proportions of census families by family size for Bruce and Grey counties and Ontario in 2016. More families in both counties were two-person families when compared to Ontario. Two-person families are most often couple households, so we tend to see a large proportion of these in areas with older populations.

 

Figure 2. Census Families by Family Size, Bruce County, Grey County and Ontario, 2016

Family Size Chart

 

 

Family Structure

Figure 3 presents the proportions of households by household type in Bruce County, Grey County, and Ontario. Households can be divided into census families and non-census families. Census family households can be one-family households (couple families with or without children, and lone-parent households), or multiple-family households (two or more families, or one family living with additional relatives or non-relatives). Non-census families include individuals who live alone, those who live with relatives, and those who live with non-relatives.

Single-family households made up 69.3% of households in Bruce County and 68.5% in Grey County in 2016, both slightly higher than Ontario. Relatively fewer households in Bruce and Grey counties were made up of multiple-family households than Ontario, at 0.9% of households in Bruce County, and 1.2% in Grey County. Non-census-family households made up 29.8% of households in Bruce County and 30.2% in Grey County, both similar to Ontario.

 

Figure 3. Private Households by Household Type, Bruce County, Grey County and Ontario, 2016

Family Structure Graphic

 

Table 2 displays household types in Ontario, and Grey Bruce municipalities in 2016. Most municipalities in Grey Bruce, with the exception of Owen Sound, Hanover, and Northern Bruce Peninsula had a greater proportion of one-family households than Ontario. Southgate and Grey Highlands had the highest proportions of multiple-family households in Grey Bruce, though all Grey Bruce municipalities had fewer multiple-family households relative to Ontario. About half of Grey Bruce municipalities had more non-census-family households relative to Ontario.

 

Table 2. Private Households by Household Type, Grey Bruce Municipalities, 2016

Geography (private households) (ls

One-census-family households (%)

Multiple-census-family households (%)

Non-census-family households (%)

Ontario (5,169,165)

3,481,885 (67.4)

145,615 (2.8)

1,541,665 (29.8)

Grey Bruce (68,430)

47,115 (68.9)

735 (1.1)

20,580 (30.1)

Bruce (28,870)

20,005 (69.3)

250 (0.9)

8,615 (29.8)

Arran-Elderslie (2,750)

1,915 (69.6)

20 (0.7)

815 (29.6)

Brockton (3,945)

2,715 (68.9)

30 (0.8)

1,200 (30.5)

Huron-Kinloss (2,780)

2,045 (73.7)

25 (0.9)

710 (25.6)

Kincardine (4,860)

3,325 (68.5)

40 (0.8)

1,495 (30.8)

N. Bruce Peninsula (1,930)

1,280 (66.3)

15 (0.8)

635 (32.9)

Saugeen Shores (6,025)

4,170 (69.2)

45 (0.7)

1,810 (30.0)

South Bruce (2,205)

1,620 (73.6)

20 (0.9)

565 (25.7)

S. Bruce Peninsula (3,745)

2,545 (68.0)

45 (1.2)

1,155 (30.9)

Grey (39,560)

27,110 (68.5)

485 (1.2)

11,965 (30.2)

Blue Mountains (3,275)

2,225 (68.0)

20 (0.6)

1,030 (31.5)

Chatsworth (2,550)

1,935 (75.7)

45 (1.8)

570 (22.3)

Georgian Bluffs (4,255)

3,310 (77.8)

50 (1.2)

895 (21.0)

Grey Highlands (3,900)

2,800 (71.7)

75 (1.9)

1,025 (26.2)

Hanover (3,335)

2,100 (63.0)

30 (0.9)

1,205 (36.1)

Meaford (4,830)

3,400 (70.4)

45 (0.9)

1,385 (28.7)

Owen Sound (9,630)

5,635 (58.5)

100 (1.0)

3,895 (40.4)

Southgate (2,715)

2,020 (74.5)

55 (2.0)

640 (23.6)

West Grey (5,075)

3,695 (72.8)

65 (1.3)

1,315 (25.9)

 

Lone-parent Families

Lone-parent families are more likely to be materially disadvantaged, which can affect the emotional and social health of parents and children. [1]  In 2016, female-led lone-parent families made up 8.3% of census families in Bruce County, 9.9% in Grey County, and 13.7% in Ontario. Male-led lone-parent families made up 2.6% of census families in Bruce County, 2.9% in Grey County, and 3.3% in Ontario. Figure 4 displays the proportion of census families in Grey Bruce municipalities that were made up of female-led and male-led lone-parent families in 2016. With the exception of Owen Sound, municipalities in Grey Bruce had fewer lone-parent families relative to Ontario.

 

Figure 4. Proportion of Census Families Made up of Female-led and Male-led Lone-parent Families, Grey Bruce Municipalities, 2016

Lone Parent Graphic

 

 

Young Adults Living with Their Parents

Living with one’s parents may be a strategy adopted by young adults and their parents to deal with low employment earnings and/or the high cost of living in some areas of the country, or a result of cultural preferences. [2] It may also offer temporary support while pursuing studies or finding full‑time work. [2] Ontario has the highest proportion of young adults living with their parents of any province, which is most likely the result of a combination of economic realities, including the high cost of housing, and cultural norms, especially among immigrants, that favour young adults living with their parents for longer. [2]

Figure 5 presents the proportions of young adults, aged 20-34, who lived with at least one parent in 2016. Young adults living at home made up 32.6% of young adults in Bruce County, 37.2% in Grey County, and 42.1% in Ontario.

 

Figure 5. Young Adults Living with At Least One Parent, Bruce County, Grey County and Ontario, 2016

Young Adults Graphic 1

 

Figure 6 presents the proportion of young adults (20-34 years) who lived with at least one parent in 2016, by Grey Bruce municipality. Georgian Bluffs and The Blue Mountains had more young adults living at home relative to Ontario, and many Grey Bruce municipalities had about as many or slightly fewer young adults living at home relative to Ontario.

 

Figure 6. Young Adults Living with At Least One Parent, Bruce County, Grey County and Ontario, 2016

Young Adults Graphic 2

 

Read the full report here: Census Release III Family Household

 

 

References

[1] Spencer N. Does material disadvantage explain the increased risk of adverse health, educational, and behavioural outcomes among children in lone parent households in Britain? A cross sectional study. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. 2005;59(2):152–7

[2] Statistics Canada. Young adults living with their parents in Canada in 2016. Census in Brief. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016008/98-200-x2016008-eng.cfm . Updated Aug 2 2017. Accessed Aug 2 2017.

 

Data specific to Neyaashiinigmiing and Saugeen First Nations are not presented due to high non-response rates

To ensure confidentiality, the values, including totals, are randomly rounded either up or down to a multiple of '5' or '10.' To understand these data, you must be aware that each individual value is rounded. A value of zero (-) does not necessarily mean that there are no people in that particular category.

Sources:

All data unless otherwise specified: Statistics Canada. 2017. Various Geographies. Census Profile - Age, Sex, Type of Dwelling, Families, Households, Marital Status and Language for Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. 2016 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-401-X2016052. Ottawa. Released Aug 2, 2017. http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/olc-cel/olc.action?objId=98-401-X2016052&objType=46&lang=en&limit=0 (accessed Aug 2 2017).

Figures 5 and 6: Statistics Canada. 2017. Various Geographies. Census Program Data Viewer, 2016 Census. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/dv-vd/cpdv-vdpr/index-eng.cfm

Definitions: Statistics Canada, 2016. Dictionary, Census of Population 2016. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/ref/dict/index-eng.cfm