Adults in Households With Children More Likely to Report Loss in Employment Income During COVID-19

Adults in households with children were more likely to report permanent loss of employment and food shortages since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau survey.

Early results of the experimental Household Pulse Survey released today provide a detailed and near real-time picture of how individuals and households are faring during the pandemic. 

For the April 23-May 5 period, the first wave of the survey, the Census Bureau sent invitations to roughly 1,867,000 households and 74,500 responded. For the second wave from May 7-12, invitations were sent to 1,047,000 households and 42,000 responded.

For the third and most recent wave from May 14-19, invitations went to 1,287,000 households and 133,000 responded.

The results will be updated weekly through late July and will include additional estimates for states and the 15 largest metropolitan statistical areas.

Survey results released today showed 55% of households with a child under the age of 18 had at least one adult lose employment income since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, higher than the rate for all households.

Additionally, adults in households with children who were not working the previous week — and reported a reason — were more likely to attribute it to permanent loss of employment since March 13, such as layoffs or business closures.

In contrast, adults not living with children were more likely to indicate their not working was temporary, such as a furlough.

There are other differences between households with kids and those without.

While many adults noted a change in the types or brands of food available since the pandemic, adults living with children were more likely to report sometimes not having enough to eat when compared to adults not living with children.

Adults in households with children were also less confident in their ability to pay their rent or mortgage in June than adults who don’t live with minor children.

While the coronavirus pandemic is clearly causing concern for many, the data reported in the Household Pulse Survey tables indicate that there are particular concerns for households with children.

Lindsay M. Monte is a statistician in the Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division.