America’s Pampered Pets
Over 85 million families in the United States own a pet. That’s 68 percent of households, according to a 2017-2018 survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association. Just 30 years ago, when the survey was first conducted, 56 percent of households owned a pet. The survey found dogs are the most popular pets, with […]
American Couples Overstate Men’s Income, Understate Women’s
In American families where the wife makes more than the husband, there’s a tendency for the men to exaggerate their income when responding to income surveys, as opposed to what they report to the Internal Revenue Service, while women understate theirs, according to the United States Census Bureau. “When a wife earns more, both husbands […]
Americans Think Raising Boys Easier Than Girls
Are boys easier to raise than girls? By 2-to-1 Americans think so, according to a recent Gallup poll, which found 54 percent of Americans say boys are easier to raise. That compares to 27 percent who think girls are easier. “When Gallup first asked this question in 1947, 42 percent of Americans named boys as […]
US Birth Rate Hits 30-Year Low
Birth rates in the United States have reached 30-year lows, according to data from the U.S. government. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that birth rates declined for all groups: teens, women in their 20s and 30s. In total, there were 3.853 million births last year, the lowest since 1987. The […]
This is the Most Popular Dog Breed in the US
Americans love dogs, and for the 27th year straight, their favorite dog is the Labrador retriever. The annual ranking from the American Kennel Club has found Labs to be the most popular dog in the United States since 1991, when the breed ousted the cocker spaniel for the top spot. Labradors are widely considered friendly, […]
So far, this is the first pet-less White House in 150 years
One aspect of White House life that sets President Donald Trump apart from several of his predecessors is that the sitting commander-in-chief does not have a pet. According to the Presidential Pet Museum, Trump is the first president since Andrew Johnson, who served from April 15, 1865 to March 4, 1869, to not own […]
Vast Majority of US Non-Christians Celebrate Christmas
Christmas is, by definition, a Christian holiday, but it turns out that a vast majority of non-Christians in the United States — 81 percent — also celebrate the Dec. 25 holiday, which commemorates the birth of Jesus. Muslim American Zina Alathari, a Virginia dentist and mother of three girls, is one of them. “We celebrate […]
Trapped! US Suburban Life Loses its Luster
There was a time when the idea of moving from the city to the suburbs defined success for many Americans; for those masses, owning a house with a white picket fence was the embodiment of the American dream. Suburbs, mostly residential communities within commuting distance of a city, flourished after World War II. Originally, suburbs […]
Forget Big City Living, Young Americans Dream of Suburban Life
Millennials have a reputation for loving social media and big city living, but the truth is their idea of the American Dream looks a lot like their parents’ did. There are 77 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 36, and they account for 24 percent of the U.S. population. These so-called Millennials–who like […]
Hola! What Language Is Your State Speaking?
Although there is no official language in the United States, the vast majority of Americans speak English, and it is the language used by the government and in commerce. However, in a land comprised of immigrants, it’s not surprising that a language other than English is often spoken in American homes. The American Community Survey, […]