Data shows traditional nuclear families are on the decline

The future of the nuclear family is in trouble, according to a new study. That's right, and all kinds of factors are causing a steep decline. Fox 5's Richard Giacobis digs into the numbers. It was one of the first classic sitcoms back in the 50s that honed in on the traditional middle-class American family. But more than seven decades since Father Knows Best premiered, new research reveals that the nuclear family is in fact shrinking. When you have a good job and you have good money every week, I think you can have family more easily. Victory Acevedo is the perfect example. He waited a long time to get married and is now holding off on having kids. A new report by the Institute for Family Studies reveals marriage deserts and married family deserts dominate several major cities in the United States. They don't want to reproduce anything anymore because it's just more stress into their life. And I feel like a kid is a blessing and you want to bring a kid into a good life. Detroit, Michigan, faring the worst with just 13% of married households. Other Midwest cities like Milwaukee and Cleveland make the top five. Ken Birchfield is a research fellow at the same institute that conducted the study. He attributes the deserts to a cultural focus on those who want to look at providing for themselves as opposed to a family, as well as cost of living. It's cheaper to have one rent than two rents. It's cheaper to have, you know, one stove and one fridge than two. And so I think, at least on the marriage level, you can still make a case that even when life is expensive, there are some benefits to, you know, to join together in matrimony. Now, when you have kids, it, of course, gets harder. So is there any way to change course, and is there any hope of bringing back that traditional nuclear family? Well, experts say don't give up hope. Just approach things more conventionally. Graduate high school first, then get a full-time job, then get married and have children after that. And if you follow it in that order, the statistics show that you're destined not to struggle. Only 3% of those who follow all those steps, graduating high school, getting a full-time job and getting married before you have kids, only 3% of that group is as poor as adults, compared to about 52% of those who didn't do any of those steps before having kids. Like Johnny Bocek, who followed life in the so-called correct order many moons ago. So, any regrets? Not a one. Any regrets as far as? Too many kids? No. Did I get married too soon? No, I've been happily married for 29 years. In Port Chester, Richard Giacobis, Fox 5 News.