Adoption Statistics and Studies

Hoping to Adopt a Baby? Adoption Statistics to Know

The first modern adoption law, the Adoption of Children Act, was passed in Massachusetts in 1851. It was the first to focus on what really mattered: the best interests of children. Since then, adoption has grown tremendously. In the United States, one in 35 children is adopted, and more than 50,000 children are adopted through foster care adoption every year. It’s estimated more than 100,000 children are adopted through all adoption methods every year in the United States.

General Adoption Statistics

  • Of all coupled households in the United States, 3% have adopted children.
  • Between 2011 and 2018, infants accounted for more than 70% of the total increase in foster care entries, and the number of infants entering foster care increased 24% in those seven years, reaching around 50,000 in 2018.
  • There are around 700,000 children living with adoptive parents, and over 1.2 million children living with at least one adoptive parent.

Pathways to Adoption

Method of Adoption Pursued by Adoptive Families in the United States

  • Private Domestic Adoption: 38%
  • Foster Care Adoption: 37%
  • International Adoption: 25%
Adoption Statistics

Private Domestic Adoption

Private providers of adoption services include adoption agencies, facilitators, attorneys, and other adoption professionals. They follow the rules and standards set by each state, but they can establish their own practices as well, such as more stringent adoption standards or specific qualifications. Wait times are usually longer and costs are sometimes higher for adoptive parents pursuing a private domestic adoption.

Foster Care Adoption

Foster care adoption refers to adoption through the Child Welfare System. Children in the foster care system were removed from their family’s care by child protective services due to the threat or evidence of violence, abuse, neglect, drug use, abandonment, or other dangers. Some states contract with private agencies to provide foster and adoptive services for children in foster care.

International Adoption

International adoption service providers typically specialize in either Hague Convention or Non-Hague Convention adoptions. The United States implemented the Hague Convention standards in 2008, which established international practice for adoptions. Adoptive parents typically work with private U.S. adoption agencies that coordinate with adoption agencies and other entities in countries around the world.

About Adopted Children

There are more than one million adopted children living in households across the United States. Of all U.S. adoptions, 40% are transracial adoptions, and almost a quarter of adopted children are adopted by relatives. Main motivations for adoption include wanting to provide a permanent home for a child and a desire to expand their family. More than 80% of adoptive parents report a relationship with their child that was warm and close and met or exceeded their expectations.

The statistics listed below are from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2008 National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP), the first extensive national study to be conducted for the sole purpose of gathering empirical data about adoption. This information is some of the only data that represent compiled public, private, and international adoption statistics and don’t include step-parent adoptions. The findings represent children under age 18 who were adopted and living with neither biological parent.

Gender

  • Male: 49%
  • Female: 51%
US Adoption Statistics

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%
adoption statistics and studies

Race/Ethnicity

The race of children adopted via international adoption is overwhelmingly Asian. With foster care, the majority of children adopted are white or black, and children adopted via private domestic adoption are mostly white.

All Children

  • White: 56%
  • Black: 14%
  • Hispanic: 20%
  • Asian: 4%
  • Other: 6%

Private Domestic Adoption

  • White: 50%
  • Black: 25%
  • Hispanic: 13%
  • Asian: 2%
  • Other: 10%

International Adoption

  • White: 19%
  • Black: 3%
  • Hispanic: 17%
  • Asian: 59%
  • Other: 2%

Adopted Children

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

Foster Care Adoption

  • White: 37%
  • Black: 35%
  • Hispanic: 15%
  • Asian: 3%
  • Other: 10%
adoption stats in the US

Other Children

Of all foster parents, 40% have other adopted children and/or biological children, compared to only 21% of parents that adopt privately and 10% of parents that adopt internationally.

Percentage of Adopted Children whose Parents have Other Children

  • Private Domestic Adoption: 21%
  • Foster Care Adoption: 40%
  • International Adoption: 10%
US adoption studies

Birth Families

  • 43% of adopted children lived with their birth families at some point prior to their adoption.
  • 36% of children in non-relative adoptions have had post-adoption contact with their birth families, and around the same percentage of children have a pre-adoption agreement regarding openness.
  • 71% of adopted children have known birth siblings. Of these, 29% have birth siblings also adopted by their adoptive parent(s).

Birth Siblings

Children adopted from foster care are more than twice as likely to be adopted with their birth siblings than children adopted privately or internationally.

Percentage of Children Adopted with Birth Siblings by Adoption Type

  • Private Domestic Adoption: 15%
  • Foster Care Adoption: 36%
  • International Adoption: 7%
Adoptive Parent Statistics

About Adoptive Parents

The following statistics represent parents who have adopted through all methods of adoption (private domestic adoption, foster care, and international adoption).

Average Age

  • 44 years old

Marital Status

  • Married couple: 69%
  • Single or other: 29%
  • Cohabiting: 2%
Adoption Studies

Race/Ethnicity

The majority of adoptive parents are white, and a substantial portion of adoptive parents are black. Only a small percentage of adoptive parents are hispanic.

Private Domestic Adoption

  • White: 71%
  • Black: 19%
  • Hispanic: 7%
  • Other: 3%

Foster Care Adoption

  • White: 63%
  • Black: 27%
  • Hispanic: 5%
  • Other: 5%

International Adoption

  • White: 92%
  • Black: 2%
  • Hispanic: 4%
  • Other: 2%
Adoption by Races

Transracial Adoption

Overall, 40% of adopted children are of a different race, culture, or ethnicity than both of their adoptive parent(s).

All Adoption

  • 40% are transracial adoptions

Private Domestic Adoption

  • 21% are transracial adoptions

Foster Care Adoption

  • 28% are transracial adoptions

International Adoption

  • 84% are transracial adoptions
adoption studies with education level

Education Level and Income

Adopted children are more likely than children in the general population to live in families with an income above the poverty threshold and to have a parent who has completed education beyond high school.

Private Domestic Adoption

  • Parent Education is Beyond High School: 79%
  • Household Income is Greater than 400% above the Poverty Threshold: 33%
  • Parents are Employed Full-time: 31%

Foster Care Adoption

  • Parent Education is Beyond High School: 70%
  • Household Income is Greater than 400% above the Poverty Threshold: 25%
  • Parents are Employed Full-time: 31%

International Adoption

  • Parent Education is Beyond High School: 95%
  • Household Income is Greater than 400% above the Poverty Threshold: 58%
  • Parents are Employed Full-time: 43%

Adoption by Relatives

  • 24% of adopted children were adopted by relatives.
  • 17% of foster children were adopted by relatives.
  • 37% of those adopted privately were adopted by relatives.
  • Very few of those adopted internationally were adopted by relatives.

Reasons for Adoption

The most common reason a family is motivated to adopt is their desire to provide a permanent home for a child.

All Adoption

  • 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%

Private Domestic Adoption

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

Foster Care Adoption

  • To provide a permanent home for a child: 86%
  • A desire to expand family: 61%
  • Inability to have a biological child: 39%
  • Wanted sibling for another child: 24%
  • Had previously adopted the child’s siblings: 11%

International Adoption

  • To provide a permanent home for a child: 90%
  • A desire to expand family: 92%
  • Inability to have a biological child: 72%
  • Wanted sibling for another child: 36%
  • Had previously adopted the child’s siblings: 2%
adoption satisfaction

Adoption Satisfaction

  • 86% of adoptive parents report their relationship with their child met or exceeded their expectations.
  • 81% of adoptive parents report their relationship with their child is very warm and close.
  • 87% of adoptive parents said they would “definitely” make the same decision to adopt their child again, knowing everything then that they now know about their child.
  • 92% of adoptive parents who have adopted children aged five and older have parents who perceive their child’s feelings towards the adoption as “positive” or “mostly positive”.

Engagement with Children

Adopted children aged five and under are more likely than all children from the same age group to be read to every day, be sung to or told stories every day, and participate in extracurricular activities.

Adopted Children Aged 0-5

  • More likely to be read to: 68%
  • More likely to be sung to or told stories every day: 73%
  • More likely to participate in extracurricular activities: 85%

All Children Aged 0-5

  • More likely to be read to: 48%
  • More likely to be sung to or told stories every day: 59%
  • More likely to participate in extracurricular activities: 81%
adoption special needs

Special Needs Adoption

It’s important to keep in mind that adopted children tend to be older than children in the general population, and many child and family well-being indicators differ according to children’s ages. When comparing well-being between adopted children and the general population of children, some differences may be attributable to the older ages, on average, of adopted children.

Of all adopted children, 85% are in excellent or very good health, but they are twice as likely as children in the general population to have special health care needs. Furthermore, one-third of adopted children receive some sort of mental health care, and adopted children are more likely than children in the general population to have health insurance.

Percentage of Adoptive Parents who Received Post-Adoption Services

Private Domestic Adoption

  • Mental Health Care (ages 5+): 33%
  • Crisis Counseling: <5%
  • Had a Mentor (ages 5+): 13%

Foster Care Adoption

  • Mental Health Care (ages 5+): 46%
  • Crisis Counseling: 6%
  • Had a Mentor (ages 5+): 18%

International Adoption

  • Mental Health Care (ages 5+): 35%
  • Crisis Counseling: <5%
  • Had a Mentor (ages 5+): 7%
adoption and adhd

Adopted children are twice as likely to have been diagnosed with and to have moderate or severe symptoms of depression, ADD/ADHD, or a behavior/conduct disorder. Despite the prevalence of special health care needs in adopted children, 88% of adopted children aged six and older exhibit positive social behaviors.

Children According to Measures of Social & Emotional Well-Being

Adopted Children

  • Ever Diagnosed with Depression (age 2+): 9%
  • Ever Diagnosed with ADD/ADHD (age 6+): 26%
  • Ever Diagnosed with Behavior Conduct Problems (age 2+): 15%
  • Problems with Social Behaviors (age 6+): 14%
  • Exhibits Positive Social Behaviors (age 6+): 88%

All Children

  • Ever Diagnosed with Depression (age 2+): 4%
  • Ever Diagnosed with ADD/ADHD (age 6+): 10%
  • Ever Diagnosed with Behavior Conduct Problems (age 2+): 4%
  • Problems with Social Behaviors (age 6+): 9%
  • Exhibits Positive Social Behaviors (age 6+): 94%
adoption and health status

Adopted Children According to their Health Status

Private Domestic Adoption

  • Health Status NOT “Excellent” or “Very Good”: 16%
  • Moderate or Severe Health Problem(s): 21%

Foster Care Adoption

  • Health Status NOT “Excellent” or “Very Good”: 19%
  • Moderate or Severe Health Problem(s): 39%

International Adoption

  • Health Status NOT “Excellent” or “Very Good”: 7%
  • Moderate or Severe Health Problem(s): 14%
private domestic adoption statistics

About Private Domestic Adoption

Private Domestic Adoption: 38%

Foster Care Adoption: 37%

International Adoption: 25%

adoption studies

Despite longer wait times and potentially higher costs, private domestic adoption is the most popular kind of adoption in the United States. Of children who were adopted privately in the United States, 62% were younger than one month old. Most families have open adoption agreements of some kind and have had post-adoption contact with their child’s birth families. According to some indicators, families who adopt privately may be more satisfied than families who adopt via foster care or international adoption.

Adoption statistics specifically representing just private domestic adoption and excluding foster care and international adoptions are difficult to locate. Private adoption data are not usually compiled or even published publicly. The following statistics are from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2008 National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP), and are some of the only data that represent private adoption statistics in the United States without including step-parent adoptions. The findings represent children under age 18 who were adopted and living with neither biological parent.

About Children Adopted via Private Domestic Adoption

Gender

  • Male: 51%
  • Female: 49%
adoption statistics

Age

Of all children adopted privately in the United States, 62% were placed with their adoptive family as newborns or when they were younger than one month old, compared to 32% of all adopted children.

Race/Ethnicity

Children adopted privately from the United States are most likely to be white.

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

Birth Family

Of all children in non-relative private domestic adoptions, 68% have had post-adoption contact with their birth families, compared to 36% of all non-relative adopted children on average. In addition, 67% have a pre-adoption openness agreement.

About Families who Adopted via Domestic Private Adoption

  • Of children who were adopted privately, 37% were adopted by relatives, compared to 17% of children adopted from foster care, and very few of those adopted internationally.
  • Privately adopted children are more likely than other adopted children to be the only child in the household.
  • Children adopted privately are more than twice as likely to have retired parents and are less likely to have married parents than other adopted children.

Adoption Satisfaction

Of all parents who adopted privately, 93% said they “definitely” would make the same decision to adopt again, the highest level of satisfaction among the three adoption types.

Percentage of Adoptive Families who Definitely Would Adopt Again

  • Private Domestic Adoption: 93%
  • Foster Care Adoption: 81%
  • International Adoption: 87%
adoption statistics

About Foster Care Adoption

Private Domestic Adoption: 38%

Foster Care Adoption: 37%

International Adoption: 25%

adoption statistics

There are more than 400,000 children in the foster care system, and more than 100,000 of those children are waiting to be adopted. Of all children entering foster care in 2020, 20% were infants. Infants accounted for over 70% of the total increase in foster care entries from 2011 to 2018. All children in the foster care system were removed from their family’s care by child protective services due to the threat or evidence of violence, abuse, neglect, drug use, abandonment, or other dangers.

About Foster Children Waiting for Adoption vs Foster Children Adopted in 2020

Number

  • Waiting for Adoption: 117.470
  • Adopted: 57,881
adoption statistics

Gender

Foster Children Waiting for Adoption

  • Male: 52%
  • Female: 48%

Foster Children Adopted

  • Male: 51%
  • Female: 49%
adoption statistics

Age

Foster Children Waiting for Adoption

  • Less than 1 Year: 3%
  • 1 Year: 10%
  • 2 Years: 9%
  • 3 years: 8%
  • 4 Years: 7%
  • 5 Years: 6%
  • 6-17 Years: 57%

Foster Children Adopted

  • Less than 1 Year: 2%
  • 1 Year: 12%
  • 2 Years: 14%
  • 3 years: 11%
  • 4 Years: 9%
  • 5 Years: 8%
  • 6-17 Years: 44%
adoption statistics

Race/Ethnicity

Children in and adopted from foster care are less likely to be white than children in the general U.S. population. Minority children, especially black children, are disproportionately involved in all stages of child welfare services.

Foster Children Waiting for Adoption

  • White: 44%
  • Black: 22%
  • Hispanic: 23%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: 2%
  • Two or More Races: 9%
  • Unknown: 1%

Foster Children Adopted

  • White: 51%
  • Black: 17%
  • Hispanic: 20%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: 2%
  • Two or More Races: 9%
  • Unknown: 1%
adoption statistics

Adoptive Family Structure

Family Type

Most children adopted from foster care are adopted by married couples or single females.

Type of Family Foster Care Children Adopted Into

  • Married Couple: 68%
  • Single Female: 25%
  • Single Male: 3%
  • Unmarried Couple: 3%
adoption statistics

About International Adoption

Private Domestic Adoption: 38%

Foster Care Adoption: 37%

International Adoption: 25%

adoption statistics

Given our constantly shifting political landscape and dynamic international adoption laws, statistics concerning international adoption are always changing. It is not uncommon for the main countries of origin for internationally adopted children to change drastically from year to year.

In 2020, there were 1,622 international adoptions in the United States from 67 different countries, a 45% decline from 2019. This can be largely attributed to the impact of the global pandemic on worldwide government operations and travel, and is a very significant decline from the United States’ all-time high of 22,989 adoptions in 2004.

Over the past decade, the number of children adopted through international adoption has declined on a global basis. Some reasons for this include improved economic conditions, greater acceptance of domestic adoptions, more stringent adoption requirements by some countries, and political reasons. Although international adoption comprised 25% of all U.S. adoptions in 2007, that percentage has likely dropped to below 5% for 2020 adoptions.

Trend statistics listed below are from the 2008 National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP), and more recent numbers reflect data from the U.S. Department of State 2020 Annual Report on Intercountry Adoption. These numbers reflect adoptions from October 1st, 2019, through September 30th, 2020, and were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as travel restrictions made the international adoption process very difficult, if not impossible.

About Children Adopted via International Adoption

Gender

  • Male: 49%
  • Female: 51%
adoption statistics

Age

  • Age 0-2: 25%
  • Age 3-4: 18%
  • Age 5-12: 35%
  • Age 13-17: 19%
  • Age 18+: 2%
adoption statistics

Race/Ethnicity

  • White: 25%
  • Black: 3%
  • Hispanic: 17%
  • Asian: 59%
  • Other: 2%
adoption statistics

The majority of children adopted internationally are Asian. In comparison, very few children adopted from foster care or through private domestic adoptions are Asian; in fact, the proportion is often so small that reliable estimates can not be generated.

Of all children adopted internationally, 92% were adopted by non-Hispanic white families. Of all international adoptions, 84% are considered transracial placements, compared with 28% of children adopted from foster care and 21% of those adopted privately.

About Families who Adopted via Domestic Private Adoption

Married Parents

Children adopted internationally are more likely to have married parents than other adopted children.

Percentage of Children with Married Parents

  • All Children: 71%
  • All Adopted Children: 69%
  • Children Adopted via Private Domestic Adoption: 59%
  • Children Adopted via Foster Care Adoption: 70%
  • Children Adopted via International Adoption: 82%
adoption statistics

Education Level and Income

Compared to parents of children adopted from domestic sources, parents of internationally adopted children are more likely to have education beyond high school, to have incomes exceeding four times the federal poverty threshold, and to work full time.

Private Domestic Adoption

  • Parent Education is Beyond High School: 79%
  • Household Income is Greater than 400% above the Poverty Threshold: 33%
  • Parents are Employed Full-time: 31%

Foster Care Adoption

  • Parent Education is Beyond High School: 70%
  • Household Income is Greater than 400% above the Poverty Threshold: 25%
  • Parents are Employed Full-time: 31%

International Adoption

  • Parent Education is Beyond High School: 95%
  • Household Income is Greater than 400% above the Poverty Threshold: 58%
  • Parents are Employed Full-time: 43%
adoption statistics

Reasons for Adoption

When compared to parents of other adoption types, parents of internationally adopted children were more likely to be motivated to adopt by a desire to expand their family, struggling with infertility, or a desire for a sibling for their child.

All Adoption

  • 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%

Private Domestic Adoption

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

Foster Care Adoption

  • To provide a permanent home for a child: 86%
  • A desire to expand family: 61%
  • Inability to have a biological child: 39%
  • Wanted sibling for another child: 24%
  • Had previously adopted the child’s siblings: 11%

International Adoption

  • To provide a permanent home for a child: 90%
  • A desire to expand family: 92%
  • Inability to have a biological child: 72%
  • Wanted sibling for another child: 36%
  • Had previously adopted the child’s siblings: 2%
adoption statistics

About Adoption Statistics and Sources

Finding adoption facts and figures that are representative of all methods of adoption (international, public, and private) across the United States is difficult. Public adoption statistics are gathered every year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Administration for Children & Families through the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), and international adoption statistics are published annually by the U.S. Department of State in their Annual Report on Intercountry Adoption; however, private domestic adoption data are not usually compiled or even published publicly. There is no single source for the total number of children adopted in the United States, and, even when multiple sources are used, domestic adoption data from private agencies are often not included.

However, during 2007 to 2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services conducted the National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP), the first extensive national study to be conducted for the sole purpose of gathering empirical data about adoption. This study provided some of the only data that represent compiled public, private, and international adoption statistics. The survey provides the most comprehensive overview of adoptions, although other sources, such as the American Community Survey (ACS), 2010 U.S. Census, and National Council For Adoption (NCFA), provide a few updated numbers and statistics.

Above are some figures and statistics gathered based on the 2008 NSAP findings representing all adoptions in the United States, the 2021 report on AFCARS data representing all public adoptions in 2020, NSAP findings representing all private adoptions, and NSAP, ACS, and U.S. Department of State data representing all international adoptions.

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, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/afcarsreport28.pdf.

Taylor, Danielle. “Fifteen Percent of Same-Sex Couples Have Children in Their Household.” U.S. Census Bureau, 17 September 2020, https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/09/fifteen-percent-of-same-sex-couples-have-children-in-their-household.html.

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, https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/foster-care-entry-rates-2011-2018.

Anderson, Lydia, et al. “Living Arrangements of Children: 2019.” Census Bureau, February 2022, https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2022/demo/p70-174.pdf.

Lofquist, Daphne A. and Rose M. “Adopted Children and Stepchildren: 2010.” U.S. Census Bureau, Population Characteristics, Washington, DC, 2014, P20-572, https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2014/demo/p20-572.pdf.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families. “National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP) | ASPE.” HHS ASPE, 2008, https://aspe.hhs.gov/national-survey-adoptive-parents-nsap.

Gates, G. “LGBT Parenting in the United States.” Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law, 2013, https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbt-parenting-us/.

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, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/report/trends-foster-care-adoption.

U.S. Department of State. “2020 Annual Report on Intercountry Adoption.” Travel.State.Gov, July 2021, https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/NEWadoptionassets/pdfs/FY%202020%20Annual%20Report%20(V2.1).pdf.

Please note that the information on these pages is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice. Although we update the content on these pages frequently and make every effort to ensure the information is as accurate as possible, 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: August 2022