The United States is a continent-sized country with huge geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic diversity. One demographic measure that varies significantly from state to state is average family size. This variation is probably due to a complex interplay of factors, including race, ethnicity, and religion.
To identify the states with the biggest and smallest average family size, 24/7 Tempo consulted data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates for 2019. Average household sizes, households with children under 18, and total population are all drawn from the ACS. (Family size per household is expressed fractionally, using decimal points, because it is computed by dividing the household population by the total number of households. A household population of 225,000 in a community of 135,000 households, for instance, would mean an average household size of 1.66.)
The average number of people per household overall in the U.S. was 2.6 as of 2021. Utah claims the No. 1 spot on this list with an average household size 3.08. More than two-thirds of the state’s population belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Studies have shown that Mormons marry more and have larger families than people of other faiths. (These are the best and worst states to raise a family.)
The average household size in Hawaii is 2.95. The state’s highly diverse population includes large numbers of people from backgrounds associated with large families, including Filipinos and Pacific Islanders. Next are California and Texas, with an average household size of 2.94 and 2.84, respectively, and burgeoning Hispanic populations. (These are the most diverse mid-size cities.)
Click here to see the size of an average family in every state
Maine and Vermont are at the other end of the list – and the other end of the country – each with an average household size of 2.28. Both lack the racial, ethnic, and religious diversity that characterizes some of the states with the largest families.
50. Maine
> Average household size: 2.28 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 23.9% — the lowest
> Total population: 1,344,212 — 9th lowest
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49. Vermont
> Average household size: 2.28 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 24.3% — 2nd lowest
> Total population: 623,989 — 2nd lowest
48. North Dakota
> Average household size: 2.28 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 28.3% — 17th lowest
> Total population: 762,062 — 4th lowest
47. Montana
> Average household size: 2.38 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 25.2% — 3rd lowest
> Total population: 1,068,778 — 8th lowest
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46. Wisconsin
> Average household size: 2.38 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 26.9% — 10th lowest
> Total population: 5,822,434 — 20th highest
45. Iowa
> Average household size: 2.38 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 28.9% — 23rd lowest
> Total population: 3,155,070 — 20th lowest
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44. West Virginia
> Average household size: 2.40 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 26.6% — 8th lowest
> Total population: 1,792,147 — 13th lowest
43. Ohio
> Average household size: 2.40 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 28.3% — 17th lowest
> Total population: 11,689,100 — 7th highest
42. South Dakota
> Average household size: 2.40 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.4% — 22nd highest
> Total population: 884,659 — 5th lowest
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41. Pennsylvania
> Average household size: 2.42 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 27.1% — 11th lowest
> Total population: 12,801,989 — 5th highest
40. Wyoming
> Average household size: 2.42 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 28.6% — 20th lowest
> Total population: 578,759 — the lowest
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39. Missouri
> Average household size: 2.43
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 28.7% — 21st lowest
> Total population: 6,137,428 — 18th highest
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38. New Hampshire
> Average household size: 2.44 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 26.1% — 5th lowest
> Total population: 1,359,711 — 10th lowest
37. Nebraska
> Average household size: 2.44 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 31.2% — 9th highest
> Total population: 1,934,408 — 14th lowest
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36. Michigan
> Average household size: 2.46
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 27.2% — 12th lowest
> Total population: 9,986,857 — 10th highest
35. Minnesota
> Average household size: 2.48 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.2% — 25th highest
> Total population: 5,639,632 — 22nd highest
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34. Kentucky
> Average household size: 2.48 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 30.3% — 16th highest
> Total population: 4,467,673 — 25th lowest
33. Kansas
> Average household size: 2.49
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 30.7% — 12th highest
> Total population: 2,913,314 — 16th lowest
32. Rhode Island
> Average household size: 2.50 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 26.2% — 6th lowest
> Total population: 1,059,361 — 7th lowest
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31. Oregon
> Average household size: 2.50 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 26.9% — 10th lowest
> Total population: 4,217,737 — 24th lowest
30. Connecticut
> Average household size: 2.51 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 27.8% — 14th lowest
> Total population: 3,565,287 — 22nd lowest
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29. Massachusetts
> Average household size: 2.51 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 27.8% — 14th lowest
> Total population: 6,892,503 — 15th highest
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28. Tennessee
> Average household size: 2.51 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.7% — 19th highest
> Total population: 6,829,174 — 16th highest
27. Delaware
> Average household size: 2.52 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 26.5% — 7th lowest
> Total population: 973,764 — 6th lowest
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26. Alabama
> Average household size: 2.52 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 28.5% — 19th lowest
> Total population: 4,903,185 — 24th highest
25. Indiana
> Average household size: 2.52 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.4% — 22nd highest
> Total population: 6,732,219 — 17th highest
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24. Colorado
> Average household size: 2.52 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.5% — 20th highest
> Total population: 5,758,736 — 21st highest
23. North Carolina
> Average household size: 2.52 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.9% — 17th highest
> Total population: 10,488,084 — 9th highest
22. Arkansas
> Average household size: 2.52 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 30.4% — 15th highest
> Total population: 3,017,804 — 18th lowest
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21. New York
> Average household size: 2.54 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 27.9% — 15th lowest
> Total population: 19,453,561 — 4th highest
20. South Carolina
> Average household size: 2.54 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 28.4% — 18th lowest
> Total population: 5,148,714 — 23rd highest
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19. Illinois
> Average household size: 2.54 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29% — 24th lowest
> Total population: 12,671,821 — 6th highest
18. Washington
> Average household size: 2.55
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.8% — 18th highest
> Total population: 7,614,893 — 13th highest
17. Oklahoma
> Average household size: 2.57
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 31.7% — 7th highest
> Total population: 3,956,971 — 23rd lowest
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16. New Mexico
> Average household size: 2.59
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.2% — 25th highest
> Total population: 2,096,829 — 15th lowest
15. Virginia
> Average household size: 2.60 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 30.5% — 14th highest
> Total population: 8,535,519 — 12th highest
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14. Louisiana
> Average household size: 2.60 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 30.6% — 13th highest
> Total population: 4,648,794 — 25th highest
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13. Mississippi
> Average household size: 2.62
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 31.2% — 9th highest
> Total population: 2,976,149 — 17th lowest
12. Maryland
> Average household size: 2.65 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 30.9% — 11th highest
> Total population: 6,045,680 — 19th highest
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11. New Jersey
> Average household size: 2.65 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 31.3% — 8th highest
> Total population: 8,882,190 — 11th highest
10. Florida
> Average household size: 2.66 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 25.8% — 4th lowest
> Total population: 21,477,737 — 3rd highest
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9. Nevada
> Average household size: 2.66 (tie)
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.5% — 20th highest
> Total population: 3,080,156 — 19th lowest
8. Arizona
> Average household size: 2.67
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 29.4% — 22nd highest
> Total population: 7,278,717 — 14th highest
7. Idaho
> Average household size: 2.68
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 32.2% — 5th highest
> Total population: 1,787,065 — 12th lowest
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6. Georgia
> Average household size: 2.69
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 32.1% — 6th highest
> Total population: 10,617,423 — 8th highest
5. Alaska
> Average household size: 2.79
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 33% — 4th highest
> Total population: 731,545 — 3rd lowest
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4. Texas
> Average household size: 2.84
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 35.7% — 2nd highest
> Total population: 28,995,881 — 2nd highest
3. California
> Average household size: 2.94
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 33.1% — 3rd highest
> Total population: 39,512,223 — the highest
2. Hawaii
> Average household size: 2.95
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 28.9% — 23rd lowest
> Total population: 1,415,872 — 11th lowest
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1. Utah
> Average household size: 3.08
> Households with one or more people under 18 years: 39.5% — the highest
> Total population: 3,205,958 — 21st lowest
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