Single Mother Statistics
Single motherhood has grown so common in America that today 80 percent of single-parent families are headed by single mothers — nearly a third live in poverty.
Updated on 17 May 2021
Once largely limited to poor women and minorities, single motherhood is now becoming the new “norm”. This prevalence is due in part to the growing trend of children born outside marriage — a societal trend that was virtually unheard of decades ago.
According to 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, 4out of about 11 million single parent families with children under the age of 18, 80 percent were headed by single mothers. 5
Of all single-parent families in the U.S., single mothers make up the majority.
About 4 out 10 children were born to unwed mothers. 1 Nearly two-thirds were born to mothers under the age of 30. 2 Today 1 in 6 children under the age of 18 — a total of about 12.5 million — are being raised without a father. 3
Snapshot of Single Mother Families (2020) #
__
10,719,000 (8,575,200 are single mothers)
SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES
80.5%
HEADED BY SINGLE MOTHERS
31%
WERE POOR
29%
JOBLESS THE ENTIRE YEAR
28.7%
WERE FOOD INSECURE
Demographic #
__
Around half (49.5%) of single mothers have never married, almost a third (29.9%) are divorced, 20.5% are either separated or widowed. 6 Half have one child, 30% have two. About two thirds are White, one third Black.
50.4%
NEVER MARRIED
29.5%
DIVORCED
20.2%
EITHER SEPARATED OR WIDOWED
Access to Education #
__
Single mothers often spend over half of their income on housing expenses and a third on child care, leaving them with less money for educational expenses.
34.3%
GRADUATED WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE
13.9%
HAD NOT COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL
Full report here - Single Mother Statistics (UPDATED 2021)
Single motherhood has grown so common in America that today 80 percent of single-parent families are headed by single mothers — nearly a third live in poverty.
Updated on 17 May 2021
Once largely limited to poor women and minorities, single motherhood is now becoming the new “norm”. This prevalence is due in part to the growing trend of children born outside marriage — a societal trend that was virtually unheard of decades ago.
According to 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, 4out of about 11 million single parent families with children under the age of 18, 80 percent were headed by single mothers. 5
Of all single-parent families in the U.S., single mothers make up the majority.
About 4 out 10 children were born to unwed mothers. 1 Nearly two-thirds were born to mothers under the age of 30. 2 Today 1 in 6 children under the age of 18 — a total of about 12.5 million — are being raised without a father. 3
Snapshot of Single Mother Families (2020) #
__
10,719,000 (8,575,200 are single mothers)
SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES
80.5%
HEADED BY SINGLE MOTHERS
31%
WERE POOR
29%
JOBLESS THE ENTIRE YEAR
28.7%
WERE FOOD INSECURE
Demographic #
__
Around half (49.5%) of single mothers have never married, almost a third (29.9%) are divorced, 20.5% are either separated or widowed. 6 Half have one child, 30% have two. About two thirds are White, one third Black.
50.4%
NEVER MARRIED
29.5%
DIVORCED
20.2%
EITHER SEPARATED OR WIDOWED
Access to Education #
__
Single mothers often spend over half of their income on housing expenses and a third on child care, leaving them with less money for educational expenses.
34.3%
GRADUATED WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE
13.9%
HAD NOT COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL
Full report here - Single Mother Statistics (UPDATED 2021)
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that ether off top tho.
