Average size of families with children, Canada, 2010 to 2014
![](https://cichprofile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/3.1.1_Family_size_final1.png)
**Families are comprised of: 1) couples (married or common-law, including same-sex couples) living in the same dwelling with or without children, and 2) single parents (male or female) living with one or more children. Persons who are not matched to a family become persons not in census families. They may be living alone, with a family to whom they are related, with a family to whom they are unrelated or with other persons not in census families. Beginning in 2001, same-sex couples reporting as couples are counted as couple families. Characteristics such as age are as of December 31 of the reference year. A couple family consists of a couple living together (married or common-law, including same-sex couples) living at the same address with or without children. Beginning in 2001, same-sex couples reporting as couples are counted as couple families. A lone-parent family is a family with only one parent, male or female, and with at least one child.
Source: CICH graphic created using data from Statistics Canada. Table 111-0011 – Family characteristics, by family type, family composition and characteristics of parents, annual (number unless otherwise noted). http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&retrLang=eng&id=1110011&&pattern=&stByVal=1&p1=1&p2=-1&tabMode=dataTable&csid= -accessed July 21, 2017.
From 2010 to 2014, the average family size among young parents under 25 years remained stable at 3.3 family members.
Among parents aged 25 to 34 years, the average family size was 3.7.