THE FARMER'S STANDARD OF LIVING 
39 
Turning to the averages for families with the different numbers of 
children supported (Table 12 and fig. 7), it is noted that the value 
of all family living increases somewhat irregularly from approxi- 
mately $1,100 for families with no children to over $1,950 for fami- 
lies with six or more children. Were this increase distributed regu- 
larly it would mean an extra cost of slightly more than $140 per 
child, regardless of age or sex. 
Changes in the distribution of the value of all family living among 
the different groups of goods for the families of different numbers 
of children are of interest. The proportion that the value of food 
is of the value of all goods used increases from 39.6 per cent for 
families of no children to 47.5 per cent for families of six or more 
children. This increase in the percentage for food would be inter- 
AVERAGE VALUE OF ALL GOODS FURNISHED BY THE FARM AND PURCHASED 
FOR HOUSEHOLD USE DURING ONE YEAR. BY FAMILIES OF DIFFERENT SIZES 
1.662 FARM HOMES OF SELECTED LOCALITIES IN II STATES 
1922 - 1924 
HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS 
8 10 12 
14 
16 
LmnmHaaasBiHsa 
l 7 in i! I!ii_T_T_j_ 
pi i i ii 
ii i i i i 
i i I i 1 
! 1 1 1 I 1 
^m^^^^^m^m^ 
L 1 1 1 1 1 1 
NUMBER OF NUMBER 
PERSONS OF DOLLARS 
PER FAMILY FAMILIES 
2 249 1.100.80 
3 347 1,256.10 
4 332 1.465.60 
5 261 1,570.80 
6 190 1,585.40 
7 124 1.805.70 
8orover--l59 1,954.20 
Average - 1.662 1,469.60 
Fig. 7. — The average value of all goods used increases at the rate of approximately $140 
per additional son or daughter supported per family. Allowance needs to be made for 
certain irregularities, especially for the six-person or the four-children-per-family group 
preted ordinarily as indicating a lowering in the standard of living. 
At the same time the increased value of all goods used indicates a 
rather gradual raising of the standard of living. The combination 
of both suggests that, although the total expenditure is greater as 
the number of children increases, it is not sufficiently great to provide 
as high a standard of living for the large families as for the small 
families. 
Similar to food, the proportion that the cost of clothing is of the 
value of all goods used increases from 11.1 per cent to 17.9 per cent. 
It is of interest that the percentages for clothing and food move in 
the same upward direction. Apparently clothing used approaches 
the minimum for all groups represented and so cuts into the expendi- 
tures for less essential goods, as does food, with the large families. 
