Working (by Employed Persons) in 2008

Employed persons worked an average of 7.6 hours on the days that they worked. They worked longer on weekdays than on weekend days, 7.9 versus 5.6 hours.

On the days that they worked, employed men worked about 52 minutes more than employed women. This difference partly reflects women’s greater likelihood of working part time. However, even among full-time workers, men worked longer than women, 8.3 versus 7.7 hours

Many more people worked on weekdays than on weekend days; that is, they spent some time doing tasks required for a job, regardless of whether it was part of their usual work schedule or arrangement. Eighty-three percent of employed persons worked on an average weekday compared with 34 percent on an average weekend day.

On the days that they worked, 21 percent of employed persons did some or all of their work at home, and 86 percent did some or all of their work at their workplace. Men and women were about equally likely to do some or all of their work at home.

Multiple jobholders were almost twice as likely to work on an average weekend day as were single jobholders, 59 versus 31 percent. Multiple jobholders also were much more likely to work at home than were single jobholders, 36 versus 19 percent

Self-employed workers were more likely than wage and salary workers to have done some work at home, 55 versus 17 percent.

On the days that they worked, 35 percent of employed people age 25 and over with a bachelor’s degree or higher did some work at home compared with only 9 percent of those with less than a high school diploma.

Household Activities in 2008

On an average day, 83 percent of women and 64 percent of men spent some time doing household activities, such as housework, cooking, lawn care, or financial and other household management.

On the days that they did household activities, women spent an average of 2.6 hours on such activities, while men spent 2.0 hours.

On an average day, 20 percent of men did housework–such as cleaning or doing laundry, compared with 50 percent of women. Thirty-eight percent of men did food preparation or cleanup compared with 65 percent of women.

Educational Activities in 2008

About 10 percent of the population engaged in educational activities, such as attending class or doing homework, on an average weekday. Those who attended class on a weekday spent an average of 5.3 hours doing so, and those who did homework and research on a weekday spent 2.7 hours in such activities.

Leisure Activities in 2008

On an average day, nearly everyone age 15 and over (96 percent) engaged in some sort of leisure activity, such as watching TV, socialising, or exercising. Of those who engaged in leisure activities, men spent more time in these activities (5.7 hours) than did women (5.1 hours).

Watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time, accounting for about half of leisure time, on average, for both men and women. Socialising, such as visiting with friends or attending or hosting social events, was the next most common leisure activity, accounting for about three-quarters of an hour per day for both sexes.

Men were more likely than women to participate in sports, exercise, or recreation on any given day, 21 versus 15 percent. On the days that they participated, men also spent more time in these activities than did women, 1.9 versus 1.3 hours.

On an average day, adults age 75 and over spent 7.6 hours engaged in leisure activities, more than any other age group; 25- to 44-year-olds spent just over 4 hours engaged in leisure and sports activities, less than other age groups.

Time spent reading for personal interest and playing games or using a computer for leisure varied greatly by age. Individuals age 75 and over averaged 1.2 hours of reading per weekend day and 17 minutes playing games or using a computer for leisure. Conversely, individuals ages 15 to 19 read for an average of 10 minutes per weekend day while spending 1.0 hour playing games or using a computer for leisure.

Employed adults living in households with no children under 18 engaged in leisure activities for 4.5 hours per day, nearly an hour more than employed adults living with a child under age 6.

Care of Household Children for the period 2004-08

Adults living in households with children under 6 spent an average of 2.0 hours per day providing primary childcare to household children. Adults living in households where the youngest child was between the ages of 6 and 17 spent less than half as much time providing primary childcare to household children, 47 minutes per day. Primary childcare is childcare that is done as a main activity, such as physical care of children and reading to or talking with children.

On an average weekday, among adults living in households with children under 6, women spent 1.2 hours providing physical care (such as bathing or feeding a child) to household children; by contrast, men spent 25 minutes providing physical care. On an average weekend day, women provided an hour of physical care to household children, while men provided half an hour.

Adults living in households with children under 13, with at least one child under 6, spent an average of 5.6 hours per day providing secondary childcare, that is, they had at least one child in their care while doing activities other than primary childcare. Secondary childcare provided by adults living in households with children under 6 was most commonly provided while doing leisure activities (2.2 hours) or household activities (1.3 hours).

Adults living in households with children under 6 spent more time providing primary childcare on an average weekday (2.1 hours) than on an average weekend day (1.7 hours). However, they spent less time providing secondary childcare on weekdays than on weekend days, 4.7 versus 7.6 hours.

“The “Measure of America” reveals huge gaps among some groups in our country to access opportunity and reach their potential,” said Sarah Burd-Sharps, co-author of the book. “Some Americans are living anywhere from 30 to 50 years behind others when it comes to issues we all care about: health, education and standard of living. For example … people in last-ranked Mississippi are living 30 years behind those in first-ranked Connecticut.”

Using U.S. government statistics on longevity, educational attainment and enrolment, and earnings, the report reveals where America is today and sets a benchmark against which we will be able to assess where we are tomorrow. The report identifies which parts of the country are moving forward and which are stalled or even falling behind.

The Report shows that although America is one of the richest nations in the world, it is woefully behind when it comes to providing opportunity and choices to all Americans to build a better life. The report further breaks down its findings into the USA’s 436 Congressional districts. The following are just a few of the many findings of the report:

• In Texas’ 29th Congressional District, the percentage of the adult population with less than a high school degree is at about the level of the U.S. average in the early 1970s.
• Among the nation’s 436 congressional districts, New York’s 14th District (in Manhattan) ranks first and California’s 20th District (around Fresno) ranks last; the average resident of New York’s 14th District earns more than three times as much as the average California’s 20th District resident.
• Nationally, Asian males have the highest human development index score and African American males the lowest, with a staggering 50-year gap between the two groups.
• Despite the fact that the United States spends roughly $5.2 billion every day on health care, more per capita than any other nation in the world, Americans live shorter lives than citizens of every Western European and Nordic country except for one.

  Obesity and the lack of health insurance for some 47 million Americans are the most significant factors in premature death.

Gas stations employed more than 910,000 people, with a total annual payroll of $15 billion. At the county level, Los Angeles (1,723); Harris (Houston), Texas (1,397); and Cook (Chicago), Illinois (1,090) had the highest number of gas stations.

Nationally, the average annual payroll per gas station employee in 2006 was $16,449. Hawaii ($27,669), Connecticut ($21,927) and Alaska ($21,890) had the highest average annual payroll per employee in this industry. Among larger counties, Honolulu, Hawaii ($32,142), Troup, Georgia ($31,833), and Hunterdon, New Jersey ($28,869), were among those that reported average annual payroll per employee higher than the national average.

Estimates by race and age released by the U.S. Census Bureau also show that the Hispanic population exceeded 500,000 in 16 states.

Hispanics remained the largest minority group, with blacks second at 40.7 million in 2007. The black population exceeded 500,000 in 20 states. Blacks were the largest minority group in 24 states, compared with 20 states in which Hispanics were the largest minority group

Blacks were followed by Asians, who totalled 15.2 million; American Indians and Alaska Natives, who totalled 4.5 million; and Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, with 1 million. The population of whites totalled 199.1 million.

With a 3.3 percent increase between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, Hispanics were the fastest-growing minority group. Asians were the second fastest-growing minority group, with a 2.9 percent population increase during the period. The white population grew by 0.3 percent during the one-year period.

Overall, America’s minority population reached 102.5 million in 2007 — 34 percent of the total. California had a minority population of 20.9 million — 20 percent of the nation’s total, Texas had a minority population of 12.5 million — 12 percent of the U.S. total.

Four states and the District of Columbia were “majority-minority” (i.e., more than 50 percent of their population is made up of people other than single-race non-Hispanic whites). Hawaii led the nation with a population that was 75 percent minority in 2007, followed by the District of Columbia (68 percent), New Mexico (58 percent), California (57 percent) and Texas (52 percent). Next in line, though not majority-minority, were Nevada, Maryland and Georgia, each with a minority population of 42 percent.

Details for the various groups:

Hispanics

California (13.2 million) had the largest Hispanic population of any state, followed by Texas (8.6 million) and Florida (3.8 million). Texas had the largest numerical increase between 2006 and 2007 (308,000), followed by California (268,000) and Florida (131,000). In New Mexico, Hispanics comprised the highest proportion of the total population (44 percent), with California and Texas (36 percent each) next in line.

The Hispanic population in 2007 had a median age of 27.6, compared with the population as a whole at 36.6. Almost 34 percent of the Hispanic population was younger than 18, compared with 25 percent of the total population.

Blacks

The black population increased by 1.3 percent, or 540,000, between 2006 and 2007. New York had the largest black population in 2007 (3.5 million), followed by Florida and Texas (3 million each). Georgia had the largest numerical increase between 2006 and 2007 (84,000), with Texas (62,000) and Florida (48,000) next. In the District of Columbia, the black population comprised the highest percentage (56 percent); Mississippi (38 percent) and Louisiana (32 percent) were next.

The black population in 2007 had a median age of 31.1, compared with the population as a whole at 36.6. About 31 percent of the black population was younger than 18, compared with 25 percent of the total population.

Asians

The Asian population rose by 2.9 percent, or 434,000, between 2006 and 2007. California (5 million) had the largest Asian population as well as the largest numerical increase during the 2006 to 2007 period (106,000). New York (1.4 million) and Texas (915,000) followed in population. Texas (44,000) and New York (33,000) followed in numerical increase. In Hawaii, Asians made up the highest proportion of the total population (55 percent), with California (14 percent), and New Jersey and Washington (8 percent each) next.

The single-race Asian population in 2007 had a median age of 35.4, compared with the population as a whole at 36.6.

Asians were the largest minority group in Hawaii and Vermont.

Whites

The non-Hispanic, single-race white population of 199.1 million represented 66 percent of the total population. California, New York and Texas had the largest population of this group (15.6 million, 11.6 million and 11.4 million, respectively), but Texas experienced the largest numerical increase (95,000), followed by North Carolina (92,000) and Georgia (57,000). Maine (96 percent) had the highest proportion of whites, followed by Vermont (95 percent) and West Virginia (94 percent).

The white population in 2007 was older than the population as a whole: The respective median ages were 40.8 and 36.6. About 21 percent of the population of this group was younger than 18, compared with 25 percent of the total population.

Most movers stayed within the same county (62 percent), while 20 percent moved to where they lived from a different county within the same state; 14 percent moved from a different state and 3 percent moved from abroad.

Census figures for mobility of people show that:

The moving rate of Americans, at 14 percent, was unchanged from 2005.

The West had the highest moving rate (16 percent), followed by the South (15 percent), the Midwest (13 percent) and the Northeast (10 percent).

Hispanics had the highest moving rate (18 percent), followed by blacks (17 percent), Asians (14 percent) and non-Hispanic whites (12 percent).

For the population 16 and older, 24 percent of those who were unemployed in 2006 lived in a different place a year earlier. This compares with 14 percent of those who were employed in 2006 and 10 percent for those not in the labour force.

In a report on population, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that Harris County, Texas gained 121,400 minority residents between 2005 and 2006, the highest number in any American county. Harris – whose main population center is Houston – has a minority population of 2.5 million – 63 percent of its total. Its minority population ranks third nationally, not far behind Cook County, Illinois (Chicago).

Based on total population, Starr County, Texas located on the Mexican border had the highest proportion of all counties that was minority, at 98 percent.

Highlights for the various groups:

Hispanic

• Los Angeles County had the largest Hispanic population (4.7 million) in 2006, followed by Harris County, Texas and Miami-Dade (1.5 million each).
• Maricopa County (Phoenix), Arizona had the biggest numerical increase in the Hispanic population (71,000) since July 2005, followed by Harris County, Texas (63,000).
• Starr County, Texas had the highest Hispanic proportion of its total population in 2006, at 97 percent.
• Each of the 11 counties with the highest Hispanic proportion of its total population was in Texas.

Black

• Cook County (Chicago) had the largest black population (1.4 million) in July 2006, followed by Los Angeles County (1 million).
• Harris County had the largest numerical increase (52,000) between 2005 and 2006, with East Baton Rouge Parish next (19,000).
• Claiborne County, Mississippi had a population that was 85 percent black in 2006, which led the nation. All 50 counties with the highest percentage black population were in the South.

Asian

• Los Angeles County had the largest Asian population (1.4 million) in 2006, with Santa Clara County (San Jose) , California the runner-up (556,000).
• Santa Clara County had the largest numerical increase (17,600) from 2005 to 2006, followed by Los Angeles (15,700).
• Honolulu County, Hawaii led the nation with a population that was 59 percent Asian. One other county – Kauai, Hawaii – was also majority Asian.
• San Francisco County, California had the highest Asian population in the continental United States, at 34 percent of the population.

American Indian and Alaska Native

• Los Angeles County had the largest population of American Indians and Alaska Natives in 2006 (150,000) with Maricopa County, Arizona ranking second (95,000).
• Maricopa County had the largest numerical increase between 2005 and 2006 (3,700), followed by Riverside County, California. (1,600).
• Shannon County, South Dakota led the country in 2006, with 88 percent of its total population of 13,800 being a member of this group in 2006. Shannon was first of 10 counties/county equivalents that were majority American Indian and Alaska Native.

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

• Honolulu County had the largest population (177,000) in 2006, with Los Angeles County (59,000) second.
• Hawaii County, Hawaii and Clark County, Nevada (home of Las Vegas) had the largest numerical increases in this race since July 2005, around 900.

Non-Hispanic White Alone

• Los Angeles County had a nation leading 2.9 million residents who were part of this group in 2006, with Cook, Illinois, second at 2.4 million.
• The largest numerical increase from 2005 to 2006 belonged to Maricopa County, Arizona. (35,500). Wake, North Carolina (home of Raleigh), ranked second, gaining 18,700.
• Magoffin County, Kentucky with an estimated 13,400 total residents, and Mitchell County, Iowa with an estimated 10,900 total residents, led the nation with 98.9 percent of their population being non-Hispanic white alone in 2006.