A recent statistical release from Eurostat has revealed that in 2008, 74% of children in the 27 EU member states lived with two married parents, while 14% lived in a single-parent household and 12% in a household with cohabitating parents.

In all Member States, the most common living arrangement for children aged less than 18 years was to live in a household with married parents. In 2008, just over half of children lived with two married parents in Estonia and Sweden (both 54%), while the proportion was around 90% in Greece (92%) and Cyprus (89%).

Children living in a household with cohabitating parents were most common in Sweden (27%), Estonia (23%), France (21%) and Slovenia (20%), while the highest shares of children living with one parent were found in Latvia and Ireland (both 23%), Estonia and the United Kingdom (both 21%).

In 2008, 60% of men aged 65 and over lived with their partner only, 20% lived alone and another 20% lived in a household with other persons, such as children or relatives, with or without their partner. The living arrangements of women aged 65 and over in the EU27 showed a different picture: 41% lived alone, 37% lived with their partner only and 21% lived with others, with or without their partner.