IU research center releases data on dads for Father’s Day

The Indiana Business Research Center in IU’s Kelley School of Business recently collected statistics about fathers in Indiana and in the U.S., according to an IU news release.\nThe center works with the national State Data Centers and the Census Bureau to provide economic and demographic data for the government, businesses and organizations throughout the state, according its Web site.\nThere are about 64.3 million fathers in the U.S., with 1.5 million living in Indiana, according to the release. The research center collected specific statistics such as how many fathers live with their biological children, the number of single fathers and other family-based numbers which calculate the level of fathers’ involvement with their children and families.\nAbout 85 percent of fathers nationwide live with their biological children, while the rest live with step-children and adopted children, according to the release. With 19 percent of single parents being male, 42 percent are divorced while 38 percent never married, according to the release. \nThere were an estimated 159,000 stay-at-home dads in 2006, with 60 percent caring for two or more children, according to the release. An estimated 11.3 million mothers of preschool-age children were employed, while a quarter of the pre-school children are cared for by their fathers, according to the release.\nThirty percent of children younger than six years of age in 2003 with married parents ate breakfast with their fathers every day, while 64 percent ate dinner with their fathers every day, according to the release.\nThe release also mentioned the number of places of Indiana where children could buy their fathers popular Father’s Day gifts. Indiana has 152 clothing stores where children can purchase ties and 351 hardware stores where children can buy their dads tools, according to the release. Indiana also has 471 sporting goods stores to purchase fishing rods and golf clubs, according to the release.