Single moms are often stereotyped as being lazy or irresponsible, this is far from the truth. In reality, single moms are working harder than ever before to provide for their families. Here are some single mom statistics that might ruin your day.

I am prouder of my years as a single mother than of any other part of my life.

J. K. Rowling

Single Mom Statistics

80% of all single parents in the U.S. are single mothers. 

52.9% of single mothers are millennials.

15.6 million children live in single-mother households in the U.S.

The single mother ethnicity statistics show the majority of 61% (5,362,000) of single mothers being white, 31% (2,682,000) black, 3% (242,000) Asian, and 5% (479,000) of other races and combinations.

About 53.7% of single mothers are raising 1 child, 31% are raising 2 children, 10.3% are raising 3 children, and 5% are raising 4 or more children.(RealDiapers)

Single Mom Education And Income Statistics

The median income for families led by a single mother in 2020 was about $49,214, well below the $101,517 median for married couples. (singlemothersguide)

Single mothers have a 35.6% smaller median income than single fathers. The median single mother earnings is $29,718, which is 51.3% lower than the median single father earnings of $50,237. (RealDiapers)

Mothers overall suffer a pay gap of 29%, earning an average of 71 cents for every $1 earned by a dad — or an average of $16,000 less per year, according to the National Women’s Law Center. This motherhood penalty is dramatically worse for single mothers at 35%. According to Pew Research, single moms with a household of three earn just $26,000 per year on average, compared with $40,000 per year for single dads.(wealthysinglemommy)

Single Mom Marriage And Living Statistics

28.9% of single-mother households live below the poverty level. (RealDiapers)

52.3% of single mothers have never been married, 29.3% are divorced.(RealDiapers)

The single-mother household statistics show that 22% of single mothers are living with their own parents. (13) compared to 31% for single fathers.(RealDiapers)

Single Mom Child Care and Child Support Statistics

Only 45.9% of single parents receive full child support.(RealDiapers)

Annual cost of child care is $10,174, which is 35% of a single-parent income.(RealDiapers)

Over the past 30 years, child care prices have risen more than twice the rate of inflation –faster than the price of food, housing, and other items. The pandemic has accelerated these trends, with child care inflation exceeding annual inflation in 2020 by nearly 4 percent. (newamerica)

Single Mom State and Country Statistics

Single parent households in Mississippi comprise 11% of the total households, the highest among all states. The Hospitality State has the highest percentage of single-mom households in the US at 9.2%. (Stacker, 2021)

Montana has the least number of single-mom households in the US, comprising only 4.5% of households. (Stacker, 2021) (financesonline)

The top states for the highest percentage of babies born to unwed parents are as follows:

1. Louisiana
2. Mississippi
3. New Mexico

A December, 2019 Pew Research Center study of 130 countries and territories finds the United States has the world’s highest rate of children living in single-parent households, at 23%. By comparison:

• Russia 18% of children live in single parent-headed households
• Uganda 10%
• Germany 12%
• Japan 7%
• Mexico 7%
• India 5%
• China 4%
• Worldwide: an average of 7% of children under age 18 live with a single parent

(wealthysinglemommy)

In Denmark, workers get 18 weeks of paid leave, and in Sweden, workers get 480 days of paid leave. In European countries, creating economic independence, especially for single mothers, has become a top priority. (singlemothers.us)

Everyone has a different story and it’s not our place to judge. Be a support where you can and always offer grace. Parenting is hard, no one is perfect, we just want to raise these little humans to be happy.

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