Households by State 2026

What is a Household?

A household is a group of people who live together and share common resources. This may include food and shelter or money and possessions.

In most cases, a household consists of one or more adults and their children. However, other relatives or friends may live with a couple who has children. Otherwise, a group of adults not related may live together, such as the case of college roommates or single adults with no children. The Government Definition of Household

For tax filing purposes, the government usually defines a household as the primary tax filer and that person’s spouse and dependents living under the same roof. Sometimes, however, the dependents may include another adult, such as a parent—not always be children.

Household By States Reports for 10 States

These 10 states have the most households. This information comes from data published between 2016-2020.

1. California

California has about 13,044,266 households as reported by 2021 within four years prior. The average number of persons per household totals approximately 2.95 people. About 22% of the people living in groups include persons under age 18 and about 14 percent consist of seniors at least 65 years old.

2. Texas

In the 9,691,647 Texas households, about 25.5% of people residing together are under 18 years old. About 12.9% of these individuals are at least 64 years old. Persons per household averaged about 2.83 between 2016-2021.

3. Florida

Florida state has about 7,736,311 groups of people living together under the same roof sharing money and resources. This includes about 19.7% of people not yet 18 years old, and seniors at least 65 years old total 20.9% as calculated by 2021.

4. New York

New York State has approximately 7,343,234 households living in it. Persons residing in each dwelling together and sharing resources and money totals about 2.55, and 16.9% of them may include at least one senior age 65 or older. People less than 18 living under the same roof as at least one adult are estimated at about 20.7% as of 2021.

5. Pennsylvania

This state, which has 5,053,106 total households in it, includes persons under 18, totaling 20.6%. People ages 65 and over living under these same roofs equals approximately 18.7% as by 2021.

6. Illinois

Within the 4,846,134 Illinois households, 22.2% of them include children less than 18 years old as of 2021. About 16.1% of the people living in these same spaces may be at least 64 years old.

7. Ohio

About 2.41 people live in one of the 4,676,358 households found in Ohio. About 22.1% of these people are less than 18. The number of people at least 65 years of age totals about 17.5% according to data reported in 2021.

8. North Carolina

Of the estimated 3,965,482 North Carolina households, 22.7% of them include children under 18 years of age. About 16.7% of these groups of people living with one another also may include at least one adult 65 years of age.

9. Michigan

Of the 3,935,041 households in Michigan, 17.7% of them include at least one person 65 years of age and over. People under 18 years total about 21.5% of the groups of people living in individual units as reported by 2021.

10. Georgia

Georgia has about 3,758,798 households. Between 2016-2020, this state reported an average of 2.45 persons per unit. These include an estimated 21.5% of persons under 18 and friends or loved ones at least 65 years old.

The Rest of The States

The United States Census Bureau has a database for every state. This includes information about how long people live in each home and their incomes, ages, races, ethnicities, marital status and more. Information has updated after commencing the 2020 census.