Based on aggregated data from 1998 and 2000, families headed by a lone parent were less likely to have a child under 5 than married or cohabiting couple families (35% compared with 41%).

Lone fathers were more likely to have older children than younger children; the youngest child was under five in 13% of lone-father families, in 53% of such families the youngest dependent child was aged 10 to 15.