Manypeoplewouldinterpret“TheAmericandream”as“livinglikeanAmerican”—atwo-storyhousewithawhitepicketfence;afamilywithtwocars;andtwochildren.HowevertheeconomicsituationisnowaffectingtheAmeric

　　Manypeoplewouldinterpret“TheAmericandream”as“livinglikeanAmerican”—atwo-storyhousewithawhitepicketfence;afamilywithtwocars;andtwochildren.

　　HowevertheeconomicsituationisnowaffectingtheAmericanwayoflifefor4.4millionpeoplelivingintheUSaccordingtonewcensus(人口普查)data.“It’sgoingtohavealong-termimpactandtosayit’sgoingtoendisoptimistic”saysCherylRussellformereditor-in-chiefofAmericanDemographicsmagazine.“I’mmorepessimisticthatthisisthenewnormal.”

　　Sowhatisthenewnormal?

　　*Marryinglater.Theaverageageofthefirstmarriagehasincreasedto28.7formenand26.7forwomenupfrom27.5and25.9respectivelyin2006.Atthesametimefewerpeoplearegettingmarried.Ifthemarriageratehadstayedthesameasin2006therewouldhavebeenabout4millionmoremarriedpeoplein2010.

　　*Fewerbabies.Therewere200000fewerbirthsamongwomenaged20to34in2010comparedwithtwoyearsbefore.Thiswasdespitethefactthatthenumberofwomenofchildbearingagehadgoneupbymorethan1million.“Therecession(衰退)isthelikelycause”saysKennethJohnsondemographerattheUniversityofNewHampshire’sCarseyInstitue“Economicfertility(生育能力)”becausewomendelay…inuncertaintimes.

　　*Breakingupisharder.Thenumberofdivorceshasbeenfallingfor25yearsaspeoplewaitlongerorchoosetolivetogetherbeforetheygetmarried.Therewereabout65000fewerdivorcesin2010thanin2008a7percentdecrease.

　　*Crowdliving.Unemploymentisforcingmorepeopletolivetogether.Thenumberofhouseholdswherepeoplelivedwith“otherrelatives”climbedfrom6.7percentin2006to7.2percentin2010.

　　*Goingpublic.Privateschoolenrollmentdecreasedfrom13.6percentin2006to12.8percentin2010.

　　*Fewercars.Thepercentageofhouseholdswithoutacarroseto9.1percentagainst8.8percentin2006.Thepercent-ageofhouseholdswithtwoormorecarsfellfrom58percentto57.1percent.

　　*Drivingsolo.Whenpeoplearenotworkingtheydon’tcarpool.Theproportionofpeopleaged16to64inemploymentdroppedgreatlyinallbutoneofthe50largestmetropolitan(大城市的)areas.Thathashelpedpushtheshareofpeopledrivingtoworkalonefrom76percentin2006to76.6perc