More Americans say the ideal family size consists of three children, according to a new poll that found younger Americans, Catholics, churchgoers and women are among those most likely to prefer large families.
Gallup recently released the results of two separate surveys examining Americans’ views as to what constitutes the ideal family size. The polls found a roughly equal level of support for large and small families.
The survey asked respondents, “What do you think is the ideal number of children for a family to have?” A plurality of those surveyed (44%) suggested that the ideal family consisted of two children. An additional 3% identified the ideal family as featuring just one child, while 2% believed that the ideal family was one with no children at all.
The share of Americans who preferred small families, meaning those who think an ideal family should only have one or two children, added up to 47%. On the other hand, the total share of Americans who favored larger families amounted to 45%.
Specifically, 29% thought the ideal family size should include three children, and 12% defined the ideal family as having four children. The share of respondents who preferred family sizes of five and six or more children was 2% in each case.