This graph shows the Percentage of households led by a female householder with no spouse present with own children under 18 years living in the household in the U.S. in 2021, by state. In 2021, about 4.24 percent of Californian households were single mother households with at least one child.

Additional information on single mother households and poverty in the United States

For most single mothers a constant battle persists between finding the time and energy to raise their children and the demands of working to supply an income to house and feed their families. The pressures of a single income and the high costs of childcare mean that the risk of poverty for these families is a tragic reality. Comparison of the overall United States poverty rate since 1990 with that of the poverty rate for families with a female householder shows that poverty is much more prevalent in the latter. In 2021, while the overall rate was at 11.6 percent, the rate of poverty for single mother families was 23 percent. Moreover, the degree of fluctuation tends to be lower for single female household families, suggesting the rate of poverty for these groups is less affected by economic conditions.

The sharp rise in the number of children living with a single mother or single father in the United States from 1970 to 2022 suggests more must be done to ensure that families in such situations are able to avoid poverty. Moreover, attention should also be placed on overall racial income inequality given the higher rate of poverty for Hispanic single mother families than their white or Asian counterparts.

In 1990, 48.1 percent of all Black families with a single mother in the United States lived below the poverty level. In 2023, that figure had decreased to 25.9 percent. This is significantly higher than white households with a single mother. Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter.

In 2022, there were about 4.15 million Black families in the United States with a single mother. This is an increase from 1990 levels, when there were about 3.4 million Black families with a single mother.

Single parenthood

The typical family is comprised of two parents and at least one child. However, that is not the case in every single situation. A single parent is someone who has a child but no spouse or partner. Single parenthood occurs for different reasons, including divorce, death, abandonment, or single-person adoption. Historically, single parenthood was common due to mortality rates due to war, diseases, and maternal mortality. However, divorce was not as common back then, depending on the culture.

Single parent wellbeing

In countries where social welfare programs are not strong, single parents tend to suffer more financially, emotionally, and mentally. In the United States, most single parents are mothers. The struggles that single parents face are greater than those in two parent households. The number of families with a single mother in the United States has increased since 1990, but the poverty rate of black families with a single mother has significantly decreased since that same year. In comparison, the poverty rate of Asian families with a single mother, and the percentage of white, non-Hispanic families with a single mother who live below the poverty level in the United States have both been fluctuating since 2002.

This statistic shows the number of children living with single divorced parents in the United States in 2020, by race. In 2020, 42,000 Asian children lived with their divorced single father.

In 2023, there were about 15.09 million children living with a single mother in the United States, and about 3.05 million children living with a single father. The number of children living with a single mother is down from its peak in 2012, and the number of children living with a single father is down from its peak in 2005.

Marriage and divorce in the United States

Despite popular opinion in the United States that “half of all marriages end in divorce,” the divorce rate in the U.S. has fallen significantly since 1992. The marriage rate, which has also been decreasing since the 1990s, was still higher than the divorce rate in 2021. Half of all marriages may not end in divorce, but it does seem that fewer people are choosing to get married in the first place.

New family structures

In addition to a falling marriage rate, fewer people in the U.S. have children under the age of 18 living in the house in comparison to 1970. Over the past decade, the share of families with children under 18, whether that be married couples or single parents, has stayed mostly steady, although the number of births in the U.S. has also fallen.

In 2023, there were about 1.18 million Black families with a single father living in the United States. This is an increase from 1990, when there were 472,000 Black families with a single father in the U.S.

In 2023, there were about 6.65 million white, non-Hispanic families with a single mother living in the United States. This is a slight increase from 1990, when there were 6.4 million white families with a single mother living in the U.S.

The percentage of births to unmarried women in the United States has more than doubled since 1980, reaching 40 percent in 2023. This significant shift in family structure reflects changing societal norms and demographic trends over the past four decades. The rise in births outside of marriage has implications for family dynamics, social support systems, and public policy. Age and ethnicity factors in birth rates While the overall percentage of births to unmarried women has stabilized around 40 percent in recent years, birth rates vary significantly across age groups and ethnicities. Unsurprisingly, in 2023, women between 20 and 34 years old had the highest birth rate at 83 births per 1,000 women, while teenagers aged 15 to 19 had the lowest rate at 8 births per 1,000 women. Additionally, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women had the highest fertility rate among all race/ethnicities in 2022, with approximately 2,237.5 births per 1,000 women, compared to the national average of 1,656.5 births per 1,000 women. Changing household structures The increase in births to unmarried women has contributed to evolving household structures in the United States. In 2023, there were approximately 15.18 million families with a single mother, a significant increase from previous decades. This trend aligns with the overall rise in births outside of marriage and suggests a growing need for support systems and policies that address the unique challenges faced by single-parent households.

This layer was developed by the Research & Analytics Group of the Atlanta Regional Commission, using data from the U.S. Census, to show various demographic and housing data by state House district in the state of Georgia (including the following categories: population, households, housing characteristics, age, and race/ethnicity), for 2000 and 2010.- - - - - -Base Attributes:DISTRICT = GA House DistrictPOPULATION = District Population (2010 Census)Name = GA House District NameTotal_Population_2011_2015_ACS = Total Population, 2011-2015 American Community Survey (ACS)profile_url = Web address of district profile - - - - - -Attributes from Census Bureau:Family_households = Family households, 2010Pct_Family_households = % Family households, 2010Family_HH_wOwnChild_un18yr = Family households with own children under 18 years, 2010Pct_Family_HH_wOwnChild_un18yr = % Family households with own children under 18 years, 2010Husband_wife_families = Husband-wife families, 2010Pct_Husband_wife_families = % Husband-wife families, 2010Hus_wife_families_wChild = Husband-wife families with children, 2010Pct_hus_wife_families_wChild = % Husband-wife families with children, 2010Single_parent_households = Single parent households, 2010Pct_Single_parent_households = % Single parent households, 2010Nonfamily_households = Nonfamily households, 2010Pct_Nonfamily_households = % Nonfamily households, 2010HH_with_individuals_un18yr = Households with individuals under 18 years, 2010Pct_HH_with_individuals_un18yr = % Households with individuals under 18 years, 2010- - - - - -Total_housing_units = Total housing units, 2010Occupied_housing_units = #, Occupied housing units, 2010Percent_Occupied_housing_units = %, Occupied housing units, 2010Vacant_housing_units = #, Vacant housing units, 2010Percent_Vacant_housing_units = %, Vacant housing units, 2010Owner_occupied_housing_units = #, Owner occupied housing units, 2010Pct_Owner_Occ_HousUnits = %, Owner occupied housing units, 2010Renter_occupied_housing_units = #, Renter occupied housing units, 2010Pct_Renter_Occ_Units = %, Renter occupied housing units, 2010- - - - - -Pop_under_age_19_2010 = Population under age 19, 2010Pop_ages_20_34_2010 = Population ages 20-34, 2010Pop_ages_35_44_2010 = Population ages 35-44, 2010Pop_ages_45_64_2010 = Population ages 45-64, 2010Pop_ages_65_over_2010 = Population ages 65 and over, 2010Pct_Pop_under_age_19_2010 = % Population under age 19, 2010Pct_Pop_ages_20_34_2010 = % Population ages 20-34, 2010Pct_Pop_ages_35_44_2010 = % Population ages 35-44, 2010Pct_Pop_ages_45_64_2010 = % Population ages 45-64, 2010Pct_Pop_ages_65_over_2010 = % Population ages 65 and over, 2010Pop_under_age_19_2000 = Population under age 19, 2000Pop_ages_20_34_2000 = Population ages 20-34, 2000Pop_ages_35_44_2000 = Population ages 35-44, 2000Pop_ages_45_64_2000 = Population ages 45-64, 2000Pop_ages_65_over_2000 = Population ages 65 and over, 2000Pct_Pop_under_age_19_2000 = % Population under age 19, 2000Pct_Pop_ages_20_34_2000 = % Population ages 20-34, 2000Pct_Pop_ages_35_44_2000 = % Population ages 35-44, 2000Pct_Pop_ages_45_64_2000 = % Population ages 45-64, 2000Pct_Pop_ages_65_over_2000 = % Population ages 65 and over, 2000Chg_Pop_Under_19 = Change in Population Under 19 (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_Pop_Under_19 = Change in Percent Population Under 19 (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_pop_ages_20_34 = Change in Percent population ages 20-34 (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_pop_ages_20_34 = Change in Percent population ages 20-34 (2000-2010)Chg_pop_ages_35_44 = Change in population ages 35-44 (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_pop_ages_35_44 = Change in Percent population ages 35-44 (2000-2010)Chg_pop_ages_45_64 = Change in population ages 45-64 (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_pop_ages_45_64 = Change in Percent population ages 45-64 (2000-2010)Chg_pop_ages_65_over = Change in population ages 65 and over (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_pop_ages_65_over = Change in Percent population ages 65 and over (2000-2010)- - - - - -Non_Hisp_White_2010 = Non-Hispanic White, 2010Non_Hisp_Black_2010 = Non-Hispanic Black, 2010Non_Hisp_AsianPI_2010 = Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander, 2010Non_Hisp_Other_Biracial_2010 = Non-Hispanic Other Races (includes biracial), 2010Hisp_All_races_2010 = Hispanic, All races, 2010Pct_Non_Hisp_White_2010 = % Non-Hispanic White, 2010Pct_Non_Hisp_Black_2010 = % Non-Hispanic Black, 2010Pct_Non_Hisp_AsianPI_2010 = % Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander, 2010Pct_Non_Hisp_Other_Bi_2010 = % Non-Hispanic Other Races (includes biracial), 2010Pct_Hisp_All_races_2010 = % Hispanic, All races, 2010Non_Hisp_White_2000 = Non-Hispanic White, 2000Non_Hisp_Black_2000 = Non-Hispanic Black, 2000Non_Hisp_AsianPI_2000 = Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander, 2000Non_Hisp_Other_Biracial_2000 = Non-Hispanic Other Races (includes biracial), 2000Hisp_All_races_2000 = Hispanic, All races, 2000Pct_Non_Hisp_White_2000 = % Non-Hispanic White, 2000Pct_Non_Hisp_Black_2000 = % Non-Hispanic Black, 2000Pct_Non_Hisp_AsianPI_2000 = % Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander, 2000Pct_Non_Hisp_Other_Bi_2000 = % Non-Hispanic Other Races (includes biracial), 2000Pct_Hisp_All_races_2000 = % Hispanic, All races, 2000Chg_Non_Hisp_White = Change in Non-Hispanic White Population (2000-2010)Chg_Non_Hisp_Black = Change in Non-Hispanic Black Population (2000-2010)Chg_Non_Hisp_AsianPI = Change in Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander Population (2000-2010)Chg_Non_Hisp_Other_Biracial = Change in Non-Hispanic Other (includes biracial) Population (2000-2010)Chg_Hisp_Population = Change in Hispanic Population (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_Non_Hisp_White = Change in Percent Non-Hispanic White (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_Non_Hisp_Black = Change in Percent Non-Hispanic Black (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_Non_Hisp_AsianPI = Change in Percent Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_Non_Hisp_Other_Biracial = Change in Percent Non-Hispanic Other (includes biracial) (2000-2010)Chg_Pct_Hisp_Population = Change in Percent Hispanic Population (2000-2010)- - - - - -Population_2010 = Population, 2010Population_2000 = Population, 2000Population_Change_2000_2010 = Population Change, 2000-2010Pct_Population_Change_2000_2010 = % Population Change, 2000-2010- - - - - -Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Atlanta Regional CommissionDates: 2000, 2010For additional information, please visit the Atlanta Regional Commission at www.atlantaregional.com.

This graph presents the percentage of single-parent families with children under 18 years of age in France from 1990 to 2020. It appears that the share of single-parents families went from 12.4 percent in 1990 to 24.7 percent in 2020.

The data on relationship to householder were derived from answers to Question 2 in the 2015 American Community Survey (ACS), which was asked of all people in housing units. The question on relationship is essential for classifying the population information on families and other groups. Information about changes in the composition of the American family, from the number of people living alone to the number of children living with only one parent, is essential for planning and carrying out a number of federal programs.

The responses to this question were used to determine the relationships of all persons to the householder, as well as household type (married couple family, nonfamily, etc.). From responses to this question, we were able to determine numbers of related children, own children, unmarried partner households, and multi-generational households. We calculated average household and family size. When relationship was not reported, it was imputed using the age difference between the householder and the person, sex, and marital status.

Household – A household includes all the people who occupy a housing unit. (People not living in households are classified as living in group quarters.) A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live separately from any other people in the building and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall. The occupants may be a single family, one person living alone, two or more families living together, or any other group of related or unrelated people who share living arrangements.

Average Household Size – A measure obtained by dividing the number of people in households by the number of households. In cases where people in households are cross-classified by race or Hispanic origin, people in the household are classified by the race or Hispanic origin of the householder rather than the race or Hispanic origin of each individual.

Average household size is rounded to the nearest hundredth.

Comparability – The relationship categories for the most part can be compared to previous ACS years and to similar data collected in the decennial census, CPS, and SIPP. With the change in 2008 from “In-law” to the two categories of “Parent-in-law” and “Son-in-law or daughter-in-law,” caution should be exercised when comparing data on in-laws from previous years. “In-law” encompassed any type of in-law such as sister-in-law. Combining “Parent-in-law” and “son-in-law or daughter-in-law” does not represent all “in-laws” in 2008.

The same can be said of comparing the three categories of “biological” “step,” and “adopted” child in 2008 to “Child” in previous years. Before 2008, respondents may have considered anyone under 18 as “child” and chosen that category. The ACS includes “foster child” as a category. However, the 2010 Census did not contain this category, and “foster children” were included in the “Other nonrelative” category. Therefore, comparison of “foster child” cannot be made to the 2010 Census. Beginning in 2013, the “spouse” category includes same-sex spouses.

The 1901 Census of Canada was the fourth Census conducted . The Canadian Families Project has a broad mandate. Their re-investigation of family in Canada includes the study of discourses of family; class, ethnicity and region as they relate to family; the history of single parenthood and fragmented families; fertility decline; language, education and family; religion and family; family and community in rural Canada; the social geography of urban families; family income and standards of living. Basic to the work of the Project is the study of families in the past. The Project begins by creating a large database of information from the 1901 census of Canada. The database will include all information from Schedules 1 and 2 of the census for five percent of individuals and families in the whole of Canada (as it existed in 1901). Schedule 1 contains the nominal returns - the enumeration of the population by name. Schedule 2 is a continuation of Schedule 1 and it gives information of buildings and lands held by persons enumerated in Schedule 1. The 5 percent sample will include information on approximately 268,500 persons. (Summary derived from User Guide)

This administrative dataset provides descriptive information about the families and children served through the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). CCDF dollars are provided to states, territories, and tribes to provide assistance to low-income families receiving or in transition from temporary public assistance, to obtain quality child care so they can work, or depending on their state's policy, to attend training or receive education. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 requires states and territories to collect information on all family units receiving assistance through the CCDF and to submit monthly case-level data to the Office of Child Care. States are permitted to report case-level data for the entire population, or a sample of the population, under approved sampling guidelines.

The Summary Records file contains monthly state-level summary information including the number of families served. The Family Records file contains family-level data including single parent status of the head of household, monthly co-payment amount, date on which child care assistance began, reasons for care (e.g., employment, training/education, protective services, etc.), income used to determine eligibility, source of income, and the family size on which eligibility is based. The Child Records file contains child-level data including ethnicity, race, and date of birth. The Setting Records file contains information about the type of child care setting, the total amount paid to the provider, and the total number of hours of care received by the child. The Pooling Factor file provides state-level data on the percentage of child care funds that is provided through the CCDF, the federal Head Start region the grantee (state) is in and is monitored by, and the state FIPS code for the grantee.

Units of Response: United States and Territories, CCDF Family Recipients, CCDF Children Recipients

Type of Data: Administrative

Tribal Data: No

Periodicity: Annual

Demographic Indicators: Ethnicity;Household Income;Household Size;Race

SORN: Not Applicable

Data Use Agreement: Not Applicable

Data Use Agreement Location: https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/rpxlogin

Granularity: Family;Individual

Spatial: United States

Geocoding: Tribe

The Priority Neighborhoods dataset is a part of the City of Oakland Department of Transportation's (OakDOT's) Geographic Equity Toolbox. The Priority Neighborhoods GIS dataset relies upon demographic data from the American Community Survey (ACS). This dataset assigns each census tract in Oakland a numerical priority value and a quantile from lowest and highest, as determined by the following seven weighted demographic factors (with weights in brackets "[XX%]"): • People of Color [25%] • Low-income Households (<50% of Area Median Income for a 4-person household) [25%] • People with Disability [10%] • Seniors 65 Years and Over [10%] • Single Parent Families [10%] • Severely Rent-Burdened Households [10%] • Low Educational Attainment (less than a bachelor's degree) [10%]

This dataset was last updated in October 2024 with data from the 2022 5-year (i.e., averaged from 2018 through 2022) American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is managed by the United States Census Bureau; learn more about the ACS at: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.

See the online map and read the methodology at: https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/oakdot-geographic-equity-toolbox. This dataset is maintained by the OakDOT Race and Equity Team; learn more about the team at: https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/oakdot-race-and-equity-team.

Field Descriptions: • TRACT: Census Tract Number • QUINTILE: Priority Quintile (calculated) • PLAN_AREA: OakDOT Planning Area • POPULATION: Population (average from 2018 through 2022) • PCT_POC: Percent People of Color • PCT_INC: Percent Low Income • PCT_SRB: Percent Severely Rent-Burdened • PCT_PWD: People with a Disability • PCT_SENIOR: Percent Seniors • PCT_SPH: Percent Single Parent Households • PCT_EDU: Percent Low Educational Attainment • RAT_POC: Ratio of People of Color (compared to Citywide average) • RAT_INC: Ratio of Low Income (compared to Citywide average) • RAT_SRB: Ratio of Severely Rent-Burdened (compared to Citywide average) • RAT_PWD: Ratio of People with a Disability (compared to Citywide average) • RAT_SENIOR: Ratio of Seniors (compared to Citywide average) • RAT_SPH: Ratio of Single Parent Households (compared to Citywide average) • RAT_EDU: Ratio of Low Educational Attainment (compared to Citywide average) • RAT_SCORE: Priority Ratio (compared to Citywide average) • ALAND: Land Area in square feet

City of Oakland, Department of Transportation (OakDOT) 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 4314 | Oakland, CA 94612

There are over 3.18 million single parent families in the United Kingdom as of 2023, compared with 2.94 million in 2022.

This table contains data on the number of licensed day care center slots (facility capacity) per 1,000 children aged 0-5 years in California, its regions, counties, cities, towns, and census tracts. The table contains 2015 data, and includes type of facility (day care center or infant center). Access to child care has become a critical support for working families. Many working families find high-quality child care unaffordable, and the increasing cost of child care can be crippling for low-income families and single parents. These barriers can impact parental choices of child care. Increased availability of child care facilities can positively impact families by providing more choices of child care in terms of price and quality. Estimates for this indicator are provided for the total population, and are not available by race/ethnicity. More information on the data table and a data dictionary can be found in the Data and Resources section. The licensed day care centers table is part of a series of indicators in the Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project (HCI) of the Office of Health Equity. The goal of HCI is to enhance public health by providing data, a standardized set of statistical measures, and tools that a broad array of sectors can use for planning healthy communities and evaluating the impact of plans, projects, policy, and environmental changes on community health. The creation of healthy social, economic, and physical environments that promote healthy behaviors and healthy outcomes requires coordination and collaboration across multiple sectors, including transportation, housing, education, agriculture and others. Statistical metrics, or indicators, are needed to help local, regional, and state public health and partner agencies assess community environments and plan for healthy communities that optimize public health. More information on HCI can be found here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OHE/CDPH%20Document%20Library/Accessible%202%20CDPH_Healthy_Community_Indicators1pager5-16-12.pdf

The format of the licensed day care centers table is based on the standardized data format for all HCI indicators. As a result, this data table contains certain variables used in the HCI project (e.g., indicator ID, and indicator definition). Some of these variables may contain the same value for all observations.

In 2023, about 3.52 million Hispanic families with a single mother were living in the United States. This is an increase from 1990, when there were about 1.19 million Hispanic families with a single mother in the U.S.

In 2024, the total number of single parent families in Canada increased by 0.03 million families (+1.66 percent) compared to 2023. With 1.84 million families, the total number thereby reached its highest value in the observed period.

This statistic shows the 50 metropolitan areas with the highest percentage of female-headed family households in the United States in 2019. The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan area, located on the Texas-Mexico border, was ranked first with 22.08 percent of households led by single mothers in 2019.

In 2023, there were about 620,000 Asian families with a single mother living in the United States. This is an increase from 2002, when there were about 337,000 Asian families with a single mother living in the U.S.