California has a reputation for being the land of loose hippies and divorce-happy celebrities. But according to a new study analyzing 2010 census data, its residents really just prefer the old-fashioned father-mother-children arrangement.
The report found that the percentage of husband-wife marriages in California is 49.4%, a full percentage point higher than the 48.4% national average. And West Coasters like having children even more than being married; 23.4% of California households are home to children under 18 years old, which is significantly higher than the 20.2% national average.
Making our homes even more crowded are some additional generations. The state's percentage of multi-generational (at least three generations) homes is 6.7%, whereas the national average is 4.4%.
Still, in addition to traditional and full homes, California's demographics conforms to what's expected of the progressive state. While the national average of households with partners of a different race is 6.9%, California's towers above it at 12.8%. Also, 12.1% of households nationally include non-relatives; Californians are either more generous or more open-minded, with 15.3% of households including non-relatives.
Finally, California is above -- but not by as much as one might think -- the national average of same-sex couple households. 1% of households in California are those of same-sex couples, and nationally it's only slightly lower at 0.8%.
Check out some of the most surprising demographics nationally from the 2010 census:
