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 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.

Graph and download economic data for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in St. Louis city, MO (S1101SPHOUSE029510) from 2009 to 2024 about St. Louis City, MO; single-parent; St. Louis; MO; households; 5-year; and USA.

Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Los Angeles County, CA was 33.30% in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Los Angeles County, CA reached a record high of 34.00 in January of 2014 and a record low of 31.77 in January of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Los Angeles County, CA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2026.

Graph and download economic data for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Los Angeles County, CA (S1101SPHOUSE006037) from 2009 to 2024 about Los Angeles County, CA; single-parent; Los Angeles; CA; households; 5-year; and USA.

The total number of single parent families in Canada was 1.84 million in 2024. Between 2006 and 2024, the total number rose by 370,000, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Graph and download economic data for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Orleans Parish, LA (S1101SPHOUSE022071) from 2009 to 2024 about Orleans Parish, LA; New Orleans; single-parent; LA; households; 5-year; and USA.

In 2024, there were around 15.72 million families with a female householder and no spouse present in the United States, an increase from the previous year. You can get an overview on the total number of households in the U.S. here.

Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Fayette County, OH was 33.01% in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Fayette County, OH reached a record high of 43.68 in January of 2013 and a record low of 33.01 in January of 2024. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Fayette County, OH - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on February of 2026.

Graph and download economic data for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Cook County, IL (S1101SPHOUSE017031) from 2009 to 2024 about Cook County, IL; single-parent; Chicago; IL; households; 5-year; and USA.

Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Nash County, NC was 44.67% in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Nash County, NC reached a record high of 44.67 in January of 2024 and a record low of 41.34 in January of 2010. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Nash County, NC - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on February of 2026.

St. Louis City, MO - Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in St. Louis city, MO was 55.00% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, St. Louis City, MO - Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in St. Louis city, MO reached a record high of 59.80 in January of 2009 and a record low of 54.13 in January of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for St. Louis City, MO - Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in St. Louis city, MO - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on February of 2026.

Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Cobb County, GA was 27.72% in January of 2021, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Cobb County, GA reached a record high of 31.08 in January of 2014 and a record low of 26.65 in January of 2009. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Cobb County, GA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on December of 2022.

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.

Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Durham County, NC was 37.61% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Durham County, NC reached a record high of 42.14 in January of 2015 and a record low of 37.61 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Durham County, NC - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on February of 2026.

Graph and download economic data for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Philadelphia County, PA (S1101SPHOUSE042101) from 2009 to 2024 about Philadelphia County/City, PA; single-parent; Philadelphia; PA; households; 5-year; and USA.

San Francisco County/city, CA - Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in San Francisco County, CA was 22.82% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, San Francisco County/city, CA - Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in San Francisco County, CA reached a record high of 27.21 in January of 2011 and a record low of 22.04 in January of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for San Francisco County/city, CA - Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in San Francisco County, CA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on February of 2026.

Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Nome Census Area, AK was 49.01% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Nome Census Area, AK reached a record high of 52.37 in January of 2014 and a record low of 37.04 in January of 2009. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Nome Census Area, AK - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on February of 2026.

Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Madison County, IN was 41.08% in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Madison County, IN reached a record high of 42.84 in January of 2020 and a record low of 36.57 in January of 2014. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Madison County, IN - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2026.