The first modern adoption law was passed in Massachusetts in 1851. Called the Adoption of Children Act, it was the first to focus on the best interests of the child rather than adult interests. Since then, adoption has grown tremendously into what it is today.

U.S. Adoption Statistics

• 1 in 35 children in the United States is adopted
• More than 50,000 children are adopted through foster care every year
• An estimated 100,000 children are adopted through all adoption types every year
• Around 700,000 children are living with adoptive parents
• More than 1.2 million children are living with at least one adoptive parent

Adoption Types in the United States

About Adopted Children

The following are general statistics representative of all adopted children in the United States.

Gender

• Male: 49%
• Female: 51%

Race/Ethnic Origin

• White: 37%
• Black: 23%
• Hispanic: 15%
• Asian: 15%
• Other: 10%

Age

• Age 0-2: 5%
• Age 3-4: 9%
• Age 5-9: 30%
• Age 10-12: 19%
• Age 13-14: 14%
• Age 15-17: 23%

About Adoptive Parents

The following are general statistics representative of all adoptive families in the United States.

Average Age

• 44 years old

Median Household Income

• $73,378 per year

Educational Level

• Less than high school: 9%
• High school graduate: 20%
• Some college: 32%
• Bachelor’s degree: 22%
• Graduate or professional school degree: 17%

Reasons for Adopting a Baby

• To provide a permanent home for a child: 81%
• A desire to expand family: 69%
• Inability to have a biological child: 52%
• Wanted sibling for another child: 24%
• Had previously adopted the child’s siblings: 7%

Adoption Satisfaction

Of all families who adopted via private domestic adoption, 87% would definitely make the same decision to adopt again.

About Private Domestic Adoption

The following are general statistics representative of private domestic adoption in the United States.

Gender of Adopted Child

• Male: 51%
• Female: 49%

Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Child

• White: 50%
• Black: 25%
• Hispanic: 13%
• Asian: 4%
• Other: 8%

Age at Placement

Of children adopted privately, 62% were placed with their adoptive family as a newborn or when they were less than one month old.

Transracial Adoptions

Transracial adoptions are where the parent(s) and adopted child are of a different race or ethnicity. Of all domestic adoptions in the United States, 21% are transracial adoptions.

Open Adoptions

• Adopted children with a pre-adoption agreement regarding openness: 67%
• Adopted children with post-adoption contact with birth family: 68%

Adoptive Parents’ Reasons for Adopting a Baby

• To provide a permanent home for a child: 70%
• A desire to expand family: 60%
• Inability to have a biological child/Infertility: 52%
• Wanted sibling for another child: 16%
• Had previously adopted the child’s siblings: 7%

Siblings of Adopted Children

• Adopted child is only child: 24%
• Child has adopted siblings only: 22%
• Child has siblings born to parent and no adopted siblings: 33%
• Child has adopted siblings and siblings born to parent: 21%

Adoption Satisfaction

93% of parents who adopted domestically would adopt again

Sources:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. “Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) FY2020 data.” The Administration for Children and Families, 19 November 2021.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families. “National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP) | ASPE.” HHS ASPE, 2008.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families. “Trends in Foster Care & Adoption: FY 2011- 2020.” The Administration for Children and Families, 30 November 2021.

Crouse, Gilbert, et al. “Foster Care Entry Rates Grew Faster for Infants than for Children of Other Ages, 2011-2018.” HHS ASPE, 17 August 2021.

Taylor, Danielle. “Fifteen Percent of Same-Sex Couples Have Children in Their Household.” U.S. Census Bureau, 17 September 2020.

Anderson, Lydia, et al. “Living Arrangements of Children: 2019.” Census Bureau, February 2022.

Lofquist, Daphne A. and Rose M. “Adopted Children and Stepchildren: 2010.” U.S. Census Bureau, Population Characteristics, Washington, DC, 2014, P20-572.

U.S. Department of State. “2020 Annual Report on Intercountry Adoption.” Travel.State.Gov, July 2021.

Gates, G. “LGBT Parenting in the United States.” Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law, 2013.

The information on this page is for educational use only and should not be used as a substitute for professional legal advice. Although we make every effort to update this information frequently, information of this kind does change quickly; therefore, some information may be out-of-date and/or contain inaccuracies, omissions, or typographical errors.

Last updated: September 2022