6 facts about grandparents in the U.S.

Grandparents Day is celebrated in the United States on the first Sunday after Labor Day, which falls on Sept. 13 this year. Grandparenthood is a common life experience for older Americans: Two-thirds of U.S. adults ages 65 and older were grandparents in 2024,

1. Not surprisingly, the likelihood of being a grandparent rises with age

• 27% of those in their 50s
• 51% of those in their 60s
• 74% of those ages 80 to 90
• On average, U.S. grandparents were 68 years old in 2024.

2. Grandparents have six grandchildren on average
   
   
3. Grandparents are very influential. Many grandparents are regular caregivers for their grandchildren. As of 2022 and 2023, 21% of grandparents said they and/or their spouse had spent 100 hours or more taking care of a grandchild or great-grandchild over the previous two years.
   
   
4. Some Americans grow up in the same home as their grandparents. Overall, 8% of children lived with a grandparent who was the head of household in 2024,
   
   
5. They are part of our lives. 7 in 10 grandparents 65 and older communicate with their grandchildren at least a few times a month.
   
   
6. A lot of adults are close to their grandparents. Among U.S. adults who have one or more grandparents, 36% say they are extremely or very close to them, and 27% say they’re somewhat close.