Grandparents as Caregivers

Date updated: 12/19/2011

The 2000 Census was the first time the United States Census Bureau gathered data about 'Grandparents as Caregivers'. Because of the very low number of people under 30 years old who were grandparents, the percentages were taken from the population aged 30 years and over, not the entire population. Data were collected on whether a grandchild lived in the household, whether the grandparent had responsibility for the basic needs of the grandchild, and the duration of that responsibility:

1. Existence of a grandchild in the household (co-resident): This was determined by a "Yes" answer to the question, "Does this person have any of his/her own grandchildren under the age of 18 living in this house or apartment?"
2. Responsibility for basic needs: This census question determined if the grandparent was financially responsible (food, shelter, clothing, day care, etc.) for any or all grandchildren living in their household.
3. Duration of responsibility: The answer refers to the grandchild for whom the grandparent had been responsible for the longest period of time. Duration categories ranged from less than 6 months to 5 years or more.

What this chart shows: Grandparents Financially Responsible for Co-Resident Grandchildren in the United States, Colorado & Larimer County, 2000 Census vs. 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Data Source: United States Census (2000 Census - Table PCT008; 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates - Table B10050)

See data table

What the above data tell us:

In 2000, 3.6% of the country's population aged 30 or older had grandchildren living in their household. Of those grandparents with co-resident grandchildren, 42.0% had financial responsibility for their grandchildren. According to the 5-year average (2006-2010) provided by the American Community Survey, the same percentage (3.6%) had grandchildren living with them, and 41.0% of those grandparents were financially responsible for them.

In Colorado, 2.8% of the population over the age of 30 in 2000 had co-resident grandchildren and 42.6% were financially responsible for their grandchildren. According to the 5-year average (2006-2010) provided by the American Community Survey, slightly more grandparents (2.9%), had grandchildren living with them, and 43.9% of those grandparents were financially responsible for them.

In Larimer County, 1.9% of the population over the age of 30 in 2000 had co-resident grandchildren and 38.0% were financially responsible for their grandchildren. According to the 5-year average (2006-2010) provided by the American Community Survey, slightly more grandparents (2.0%) had grandchildren living with them, however significantly more (47.1%) of those grandparents were financially responsible for them.

The trend is for more grandparents to be financially responsible for their grandchildren in Colorado and Larimer County than in the country.

What this chart shows: Grandparents Financially Responsible for Co-Resident Grandchildren in Larimer County Cities and Towns, 2000 Census vs. 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Data Source: United States Census (2000 Census - Table PCT008; 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates - Table B10050)

See data table

What the above data tell us:

Some caution should be used when interpreting the above data, particularly with respect to the 5-year estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS). Data collected from the ACS are extrapolated from surveys taken throughout the 5 years mentioned and then averaged. For smaller communities, such as Timnath, the margin of error suggests there could be between 0 and 123 grandparents financially responsible for grandchildren living with them.

The data for Fort Collins and Loveland are slightly more reliable due to the larger sampling size. Both communities have seen a rise in the percentage of grandparents who are financially responsible for their grandchildren. More than half (51.2%) of grandparents with grandchildren living with them in Loveland provided for their grandchildren's basic needs between 2006 and 2010. See the data table for the number of grandparents financially responsible for their grandchildren in each community.

What this chart shows: Length of Time Grandparents Financially Responsible for Co-Resident Grandchildren in Larimer County, 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Data Source: United States Census (Table B10050)

See data table

What the above data tell us:

Between 2006 and 2010, nearly 43% of Larimer County grandparents were financially responsible for their grandchildren for five years or more. This represented a 24.8% increase from the 2000 Census, when 34.3% of grandparents reported being financially responsible for their co-resident grandchildren for five years or more.

Additional Information:

Related Information on Compass -

• Adoptions
• Children in Families- Single and Two Parents
• Children in Out-of-Home Placement
• Median Family Income
• Population by Age
• Population Size & Growth
• Poverty

Other Resources -

• Federal Poverty Guidelines
• Grandparenting, American Association for Retired Persons (AARP)
• Grandparents as Parents, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
• Larimer County Senior Services, select 'Senior Citizens' category
• Nutrition and Aging, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
• United States Census Brief on Grandparents Living with Grandchildren

Data Table:

Grandparents as Caregivers, United States, Colorado & Larimer County

2000 Census	United States		Colorado		Larimer County
	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Grandparents living with minor grandchildren	5,771,671	3.6%	66,903	2.8%	2,573	1.9%
Responsible for grandchild	2,426,730	42.0%	28,524	42.6%	978	38.0%
Less than 1 year	555,668	22.9%	7,393	25.9%	248	25.4%
1 to 2 years	563,403	23.2%	6,858	24.0%	208	21.3%
3 to 4 years	374,251	15.4%	4,274	15.0%	187	19.1%
5 years or more	933,408	38.5%	9,999	35.1%	335	34.3%
Not responsible for grandchild	3,344,941	58.0%	38,379	57.4%	1,595	62.0%
2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates	United States		Colorado		Larimer County
	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Grandparents living with minor grandchildren	6,449,387	3.6%	81,693	2.9%	3,347	2.0%
Responsible for grandchild	2,641,514	41.0%	35,838	43.9%	1,578	47.1%
Less than 1 year	599,400	22.7%	8,709	24.3%	401	25.4%
1 to 2 years	633,758	24.0%	8,271	23.1%	393	24.9%
3 to 4 years	436,147	16.5%	5,804	16.2%	108	6.8%
5 years or more	972,209	36.8%	13,054	36.4%	676	42.8%
Not responsible for grandchild	3,807,873	59.0%	45,855	56.1%	1,769	52.9%

See chart - 'Percentage of Grandparents Financially Responsible for Co-Resident Grandchildren'

See chart - 'Length of Time Grandparents Financially Responsible for Co-Resident Grandchildren'

Grandparents as Caregivers in Larimer County Cities and Towns

2000 Census	Berthoud						Estes Park		Fort Collins
	Number					%	Number	%	Number	%
Grandparents living with minor grandchildren	92					3.3%	30	0.8%	846	1.6%
Responsible for grandchild	13					14.1%	21	70.0%	279	33.0%
Less than 1 year	0					0.0%	0	0.0%	51	18.3%
1 to 2 years	0					0.0%	5	23.8%	60	21.5%
3 to 4 years	13					100.0%	0	0.0%	77	27.6%
5 years or more	0					0.0%	16	76.2%	91	32.6%
Not responsible for grandchild	79					85.9%	9	30.0%	567	67.0%
2000 Census cont'd		Loveland					Timnath		Wellington
		Number		%			Number	%	Number	%
Grandparents living with minor grandchildren		674		2.3%			3	2.2%	52	3.9%
Responsible for grandchild		286		42.4%			2	66.7%	22	42.3%
Less than 1 year		64		22.4%			0	0.0%	7	31.8%
1 to 2 years		18		6.3%			2	100.0%	6	27.3%
3 to 4 years		64		22.4%			0	0.0%	2	9.1%
5 years or more		140		49.0%			0	0.0%	7	31.8%
Not responsible for grandchild		388		57.6%			1	33.3%	30	57.7%
2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates	Berthoud						Estes Park		Fort Collins
	Number					%	Number	%	Number	%
Grandparents living with minor grandchildren	163					5.5%	51	1.2%	1,056	1.6%
Responsible for grandchild	100					61.3%	51	100.0%	548	51.9%
Less than 1 year	56					56.0%	0	0.0%	125	22.8%
1 to 2 years	0					0.0%	0	0.0%	159	29.0%
3 to 4 years	0					0.0%	0	0.0%	92	16.8%
5 years or more	44					44.0%	51	100.0%	172	31.4%
Not responsible for grandchild	63					38.7%	0	0.0%	508	48.1%
2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates - cont'd			Loveland				Timnath		Wellington
			Number		%		Number	%	Number	%
Grandparents living with minor grandchildren			1,009		2.7%		0	0.0%	157	5.3%
Responsible for grandchild			517		51.2%		0	0.0%	97	61.8%
Less than 1 year			154		29.8%		0	0.0%	8	8.2%
1 to 2 years			179		34.6%		0	0.0%	0	0.0%
3 to 4 years			16		3.1%		0	0.0%	0	0.0%
5 years or more			168		32.5%		0	0.0%	89	91.8%
Not responsible for grandchild			492		48.8%		0	0.0%	60	38.2%

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