GITNUXREPORT 2026

Single Mothers Statistics

Single mothers face severe economic struggles impacting their children's health and futures.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

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Statistic 1

Children of single mothers 51% more likely to be incarcerated by age 30

Statistic 2

Teens in single-mother families have 2x the rate of violent crime arrests

Statistic 3

Single-mother children are 3x more likely to abuse drugs by age 18

Statistic 4

71% higher risk of teen pregnancy for girls from single-mother homes

Statistic 5

Boys from single mothers 2x more likely to drop out and join gangs

Statistic 6

Single-mother family adolescents have 2.5x higher suicide attempt rates

Statistic 7

3x higher rates of running away for single-mother children

Statistic 8

Single-parent (mother) kids 50% more likely to smoke cigarettes regularly

Statistic 9

Behavioral disorders diagnosed 2x more in single-mother households

Statistic 10

Single-mother teens 2.2x more likely to be victims of crime

Statistic 11

40% higher truancy rates linked to behavioral issues in single-mother kids

Statistic 12

Single-mother children perpetrate 70% more property crimes as youth

Statistic 13

Risk of conduct disorder 1.8x higher in single-mother families

Statistic 14

Single-mother raised boys 3x more likely to father children out of wedlock

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2x higher rates of alcohol abuse by age 21 for single-mother offspring

Statistic 16

Single-mother children 2.7x more likely to be suspended from school for behavior

Statistic 17

Vandalism offenses 60% higher among single-mother teens

Statistic 18

Single-mother family girls 1.9x more likely to engage in early sexual activity

Statistic 19

2.4x increased risk of depression leading to risky behaviors

Statistic 20

Single-mother kids 50% more likely to be bullied or bully others

Statistic 21

3x higher expulsion rates from school for behavioral reasons

Statistic 22

Single-mother adolescents 2x more likely to vandalize property

Statistic 23

Risky sexual behavior rates 2.1x higher, leading to STIs

Statistic 24

Single-mother children 1.7x more likely to have oppositional defiant disorder

Statistic 25

65% of juvenile offenders come from single-parent homes, mostly mothers

Statistic 26

Children of single mothers are 5 times more likely to live in poverty than those with married parents, per 2021 data

Statistic 27

High school dropout rates for children in single-mother homes are 71% higher than in two-parent homes

Statistic 28

Only 16% of children from single-mother families graduate college by age 25, vs 44% from intact families

Statistic 29

Teens in single-mother households have a 2.5x higher dropout rate, 1980-2020 longitudinal data

Statistic 30

Children of single mothers score 15-20 points lower on standardized tests like NAEP

Statistic 31

Single-mother family children are 4x more likely to repeat a grade, per NCES 2022

Statistic 32

College enrollment rates drop 25% for adolescents from single-mother homes

Statistic 33

50% of children in single-mother families underperform in math by 8th grade

Statistic 34

Boys from single-mother homes have 2x higher truancy rates

Statistic 35

Single-mother children are 3x less likely to attend selective colleges

Statistic 36

Reading proficiency lags by 1.5 years for single-mother family kids, NAEP data

Statistic 37

35% of single-mother children need remedial education in college

Statistic 38

Educational attainment gap widens: single-mother kids 20% less likely to finish HS on time

Statistic 39

Single-parent (mostly mother) children score 0.3-0.5 SD lower on cognitive tests

Statistic 40

28% of single-mother teens drop out vs 8% two-parent, 2022 CDC data

Statistic 41

Single-mother family children have 1.8x higher rates of grade retention

Statistic 42

AP course participation is 40% lower for single-mother household students

Statistic 43

Single-mother kids 2x more likely to be chronic absentees in school

Statistic 44

Vocabulary development delayed by 6 months in preschoolers from single-mother homes

Statistic 45

Single-mother children 1.5x less likely to pursue STEM fields in college

Statistic 46

45% of single-mother high schoolers report poor grades, vs 20% intact families

Statistic 47

Educational mobility is 30% lower for single-mother offspring

Statistic 48

Single-mother teens score 10% lower on SAT/ACT averages

Statistic 49

22% of single-mother children age 16-18 are not in school or working

Statistic 50

Single-mother family kids have 25% higher special education placement rates

Statistic 51

Long-term: single-mother raised adults earn 15% less lifetime

Statistic 52

Children from single-mother homes have 4x higher delinquency rates leading to school issues

Statistic 53

35% of single mothers' children run away from home by age 17

Statistic 54

Single-mother household kids 2x more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD affecting school

Statistic 55

55% of single-mother households headed by women aged 25-34 in 2022

Statistic 56

23% of U.S. children under 18 live in single-mother homes, 2022 Census

Statistic 57

Single-mother families increased 25% from 2000 to 2022

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80% of single-parent families are headed by mothers

Statistic 59

Black children: 53% in single-mother homes vs 22% White, 2022

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Average single mother age at first birth: 23 years

Statistic 61

15 million children live with single mothers, 2023 estimate

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Single-mother prevalence highest in South: 28% of families

Statistic 63

40% of single mothers never married, 35% divorced, 2022

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Single mothers with 3+ children: 20% of all single-mother families

Statistic 65

Hispanic single-mother rate 27% of families with kids

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Single mothers in urban areas: 65% of total

Statistic 67

Age 35-44 single mothers peak at 45% of group

Statistic 68

12% of single mothers are grandmothers raising kids

Statistic 69

Single-mother families declined 4% post-2020

Statistic 70

30% of single mothers have children from multiple partners

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Asian single-mother rate lowest at 15%

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Single mothers with disabled children: 18%

Statistic 73

Rural single-mother rate 22% vs national 23%

Statistic 74

25% of single mothers are immigrants

Statistic 75

Single-mother households average 2.6 children

Statistic 76

Post-WWII rise: single mothers from 8% to 23% of families

Statistic 77

42% of births to single mothers in 2022

Statistic 78

Single mothers education: 40% HS or less

Statistic 79

Single-mother cohabitation rate 35%

Statistic 80

In 2022, 27.3% of single-mother families lived below the federal poverty line, compared to 4.7% of married-couple families with children

Statistic 81

Single-mother households had a median income of $49,530 in 2022, which is 58% lower than the $117,140 median for married-couple families

Statistic 82

42% of single mothers relied on public assistance programs like SNAP in 2021, versus 5% of married mothers

Statistic 83

The poverty rate for single-mother families with children under 6 was 36.8% in 2022

Statistic 84

Single mothers experienced a 12% increase in poverty rates during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2021

Statistic 85

In 2020, 53% of single-mother families were near-poor, defined as income below 150% of poverty line

Statistic 86

Black single mothers had a 40.6% poverty rate in 2022, compared to 22.4% for White single mothers

Statistic 87

Single-mother households accounted for 80% of the growth in child poverty from 1980 to 2020

Statistic 88

Average annual earnings for single mothers were $37,000 in 2021, 30% less than single fathers' $53,000

Statistic 89

65% of single mothers reported difficulty paying rent or mortgage in 2022 surveys

Statistic 90

Single-mother families received 70% of all Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits in 2022

Statistic 91

Food insecurity affected 33% of single-mother households in 2021, double the national average

Statistic 92

Single mothers' net worth averaged $11,000 in 2019, versus $249,000 for married couples

Statistic 93

28% of single mothers were unbanked or underbanked in 2021, hindering financial stability

Statistic 94

Homelessness rates among single-mother families rose 15% from 2019 to 2022

Statistic 95

Single mothers with less than high school diploma had 55% poverty rate in 2022

Statistic 96

Child support received by single mothers covered only 44% of obligations in 2020

Statistic 97

39% of single-mother households used at least one non-cash benefit program in 2022

Statistic 98

Single mothers' labor force participation rate was 74.5% in 2023, but underemployment affected 22%

Statistic 99

Debt-to-income ratio for single mothers averaged 45% in 2021, leading to financial stress

Statistic 100

Single-mother families in rural areas had 32% poverty rate vs 25% urban in 2022

Statistic 101

51% of single mothers skipped meals to feed children due to costs in 2022

Statistic 102

Single mothers' savings rate was under 2% of income annually in 2021

Statistic 103

Foreclosure rates were 3x higher for single-mother homeowners in 2020-2022

Statistic 104

Single mothers comprised 60% of filers for bankruptcy in family cases in 2022

Statistic 105

Utility shutoffs affected 24% of single-mother households in 2021 winter

Statistic 106

Single mothers' access to credit cards was 15% lower than married mothers in 2022

Statistic 107

67% of single mothers lived paycheck-to-paycheck in 2023 surveys

Statistic 108

Single-mother families' child care costs averaged 30% of income in 2022

Statistic 109

Single mothers had 25% higher rates of medical debt over $1,000 in 2021

Statistic 110

Single mothers report 30% higher child obesity rates at 40.2% vs 30% married, 2021 data

Statistic 111

Children of single mothers have 2x asthma hospitalization rates

Statistic 112

Single-mother households show 25% higher child injury emergency visits

Statistic 113

50% increased risk of childhood diabetes in single-mother families

Statistic 114

Single mothers' children have 1.8x higher rates of mental health disorders

Statistic 115

Infant mortality 2x higher in single-mother births, 2022 CDC

Statistic 116

Single-mother kids 35% more likely to be food insecure affecting nutrition

Statistic 117

Depression rates 2.5x higher among single mothers at 28%

Statistic 118

Children in single-mother homes have 20% higher dental care unmet needs

Statistic 119

Single-mother families report 40% higher stress-related illnesses

Statistic 120

Low birth weight babies 50% more common in single-mother pregnancies

Statistic 121

Single mothers have 1.6x higher obesity rates at 45%

Statistic 122

Child vaccination rates 15% lower in single-mother households

Statistic 123

Single-mother children 2x more likely to develop anxiety disorders

Statistic 124

30% higher emergency room visits for preventable conditions

Statistic 125

Single mothers smoke at 25% rate vs 15% married, harming kids

Statistic 126

Child lead poisoning 1.7x higher in single-mother homes

Statistic 127

Single-mother families have 22% higher child Medicaid usage for chronic issues

Statistic 128

Maternal mortality post-birth 3x higher for single mothers

Statistic 129

Single-mother kids 28% more likely to have developmental delays

Statistic 130

35% of single mothers lack health insurance for children periods

Statistic 131

Single-mother household sleep disorders in kids 40% higher

Statistic 132

Child cancer survival rates 10% lower due to late diagnosis

Statistic 133

Single mothers' hypertension rates 32% vs 22% married

Statistic 134

Single-mother children 2.2x higher ear infection rates

Statistic 135

45% of single mothers report poor mental health days weekly

Statistic 136

Single-mother families 25% higher child vision uncorrected rates

Statistic 137

1.9x higher teen substance abuse treatment needs

Statistic 138

Single mothers 50% more likely to delay prenatal care

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While a single mother's love is limitless, the statistics paint a stark picture of a system stacked against them, revealing that in 2022 single-mother families were nearly six times more likely to live in poverty than married-couple families.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, 27.3% of single-mother families lived below the federal poverty line, compared to 4.7% of married-couple families with children
Single-mother households had a median income of $49,530 in 2022, which is 58% lower than the $117,140 median for married-couple families
42% of single mothers relied on public assistance programs like SNAP in 2021, versus 5% of married mothers
Children of single mothers are 5 times more likely to live in poverty than those with married parents, per 2021 data
High school dropout rates for children in single-mother homes are 71% higher than in two-parent homes
Only 16% of children from single-mother families graduate college by age 25, vs 44% from intact families
Children of single mothers 51% more likely to be incarcerated by age 30
Teens in single-mother families have 2x the rate of violent crime arrests
Single-mother children are 3x more likely to abuse drugs by age 18
Single mothers report 30% higher child obesity rates at 40.2% vs 30% married, 2021 data
Children of single mothers have 2x asthma hospitalization rates
Single-mother households show 25% higher child injury emergency visits
55% of single-mother households headed by women aged 25-34 in 2022
23% of U.S. children under 18 live in single-mother homes, 2022 Census
Single-mother families increased 25% from 2000 to 2022

Single mothers face severe economic struggles impacting their children's health and futures.

Behavioral Outcomes

Children of single mothers 51% more likely to be incarcerated by age 30
Teens in single-mother families have 2x the rate of violent crime arrests
Single-mother children are 3x more likely to abuse drugs by age 18
71% higher risk of teen pregnancy for girls from single-mother homes
Boys from single mothers 2x more likely to drop out and join gangs
Single-mother family adolescents have 2.5x higher suicide attempt rates
3x higher rates of running away for single-mother children
Single-parent (mother) kids 50% more likely to smoke cigarettes regularly
Behavioral disorders diagnosed 2x more in single-mother households
Single-mother teens 2.2x more likely to be victims of crime
40% higher truancy rates linked to behavioral issues in single-mother kids
Single-mother children perpetrate 70% more property crimes as youth
Risk of conduct disorder 1.8x higher in single-mother families
Single-mother raised boys 3x more likely to father children out of wedlock
2x higher rates of alcohol abuse by age 21 for single-mother offspring
Single-mother children 2.7x more likely to be suspended from school for behavior
Vandalism offenses 60% higher among single-mother teens
Single-mother family girls 1.9x more likely to engage in early sexual activity
2.4x increased risk of depression leading to risky behaviors
Single-mother kids 50% more likely to be bullied or bully others
3x higher expulsion rates from school for behavioral reasons
Single-mother adolescents 2x more likely to vandalize property
Risky sexual behavior rates 2.1x higher, leading to STIs
Single-mother children 1.7x more likely to have oppositional defiant disorder
65% of juvenile offenders come from single-parent homes, mostly mothers

Behavioral Outcomes Interpretation

While society wrings its hands over each grim statistic for children of single mothers, it consistently fails to pair them with the even more alarming statistic of its own investment in supporting those mothers and their kids.

Child Outcomes

Children of single mothers are 5 times more likely to live in poverty than those with married parents, per 2021 data
High school dropout rates for children in single-mother homes are 71% higher than in two-parent homes
Only 16% of children from single-mother families graduate college by age 25, vs 44% from intact families
Teens in single-mother households have a 2.5x higher dropout rate, 1980-2020 longitudinal data
Children of single mothers score 15-20 points lower on standardized tests like NAEP
Single-mother family children are 4x more likely to repeat a grade, per NCES 2022
College enrollment rates drop 25% for adolescents from single-mother homes
50% of children in single-mother families underperform in math by 8th grade
Boys from single-mother homes have 2x higher truancy rates
Single-mother children are 3x less likely to attend selective colleges
Reading proficiency lags by 1.5 years for single-mother family kids, NAEP data
35% of single-mother children need remedial education in college
Educational attainment gap widens: single-mother kids 20% less likely to finish HS on time
Single-parent (mostly mother) children score 0.3-0.5 SD lower on cognitive tests
28% of single-mother teens drop out vs 8% two-parent, 2022 CDC data
Single-mother family children have 1.8x higher rates of grade retention
AP course participation is 40% lower for single-mother household students
Single-mother kids 2x more likely to be chronic absentees in school
Vocabulary development delayed by 6 months in preschoolers from single-mother homes
Single-mother children 1.5x less likely to pursue STEM fields in college
45% of single-mother high schoolers report poor grades, vs 20% intact families
Educational mobility is 30% lower for single-mother offspring
Single-mother teens score 10% lower on SAT/ACT averages
22% of single-mother children age 16-18 are not in school or working
Single-mother family kids have 25% higher special education placement rates
Long-term: single-mother raised adults earn 15% less lifetime
Children from single-mother homes have 4x higher delinquency rates leading to school issues
35% of single mothers' children run away from home by age 17
Single-mother household kids 2x more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD affecting school

Child Outcomes Interpretation

This sobering pile of statistics paints a grim portrait not of single mothers failing, but of a society that has left them holding the bag, the baby, and the entire blame.

Demographics

55% of single-mother households headed by women aged 25-34 in 2022
23% of U.S. children under 18 live in single-mother homes, 2022 Census
Single-mother families increased 25% from 2000 to 2022
80% of single-parent families are headed by mothers
Black children: 53% in single-mother homes vs 22% White, 2022
Average single mother age at first birth: 23 years
15 million children live with single mothers, 2023 estimate
Single-mother prevalence highest in South: 28% of families
40% of single mothers never married, 35% divorced, 2022
Single mothers with 3+ children: 20% of all single-mother families
Hispanic single-mother rate 27% of families with kids
Single mothers in urban areas: 65% of total
Age 35-44 single mothers peak at 45% of group
12% of single mothers are grandmothers raising kids
Single-mother families declined 4% post-2020
30% of single mothers have children from multiple partners
Asian single-mother rate lowest at 15%
Single mothers with disabled children: 18%
Rural single-mother rate 22% vs national 23%
25% of single mothers are immigrants
Single-mother households average 2.6 children
Post-WWII rise: single mothers from 8% to 23% of families
42% of births to single mothers in 2022
Single mothers education: 40% HS or less
Single-mother cohabitation rate 35%

Demographics Interpretation

The portrait of American single motherhood is no simple snapshot, but a complex, evolving landscape where nearly a quarter of our children are raised by a resilient, often young, and disproportionately Black and Southern cohort of women who are rewriting the family script against a backdrop of persistent economic and social challenges.

Economic Status

In 2022, 27.3% of single-mother families lived below the federal poverty line, compared to 4.7% of married-couple families with children
Single-mother households had a median income of $49,530 in 2022, which is 58% lower than the $117,140 median for married-couple families
42% of single mothers relied on public assistance programs like SNAP in 2021, versus 5% of married mothers
The poverty rate for single-mother families with children under 6 was 36.8% in 2022
Single mothers experienced a 12% increase in poverty rates during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2021
In 2020, 53% of single-mother families were near-poor, defined as income below 150% of poverty line
Black single mothers had a 40.6% poverty rate in 2022, compared to 22.4% for White single mothers
Single-mother households accounted for 80% of the growth in child poverty from 1980 to 2020
Average annual earnings for single mothers were $37,000 in 2021, 30% less than single fathers' $53,000
65% of single mothers reported difficulty paying rent or mortgage in 2022 surveys
Single-mother families received 70% of all Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits in 2022
Food insecurity affected 33% of single-mother households in 2021, double the national average
Single mothers' net worth averaged $11,000 in 2019, versus $249,000 for married couples
28% of single mothers were unbanked or underbanked in 2021, hindering financial stability
Homelessness rates among single-mother families rose 15% from 2019 to 2022
Single mothers with less than high school diploma had 55% poverty rate in 2022
Child support received by single mothers covered only 44% of obligations in 2020
39% of single-mother households used at least one non-cash benefit program in 2022
Single mothers' labor force participation rate was 74.5% in 2023, but underemployment affected 22%
Debt-to-income ratio for single mothers averaged 45% in 2021, leading to financial stress
Single-mother families in rural areas had 32% poverty rate vs 25% urban in 2022
51% of single mothers skipped meals to feed children due to costs in 2022
Single mothers' savings rate was under 2% of income annually in 2021
Foreclosure rates were 3x higher for single-mother homeowners in 2020-2022
Single mothers comprised 60% of filers for bankruptcy in family cases in 2022
Utility shutoffs affected 24% of single-mother households in 2021 winter
Single mothers' access to credit cards was 15% lower than married mothers in 2022
67% of single mothers lived paycheck-to-paycheck in 2023 surveys
Single-mother families' child care costs averaged 30% of income in 2022
Single mothers had 25% higher rates of medical debt over $1,000 in 2021

Economic Status Interpretation

The statistics paint a stark picture: our society essentially sends single mothers into an economic storm with a paper umbrella, feigning surprise when they're drenched, while the married-couple lifeboat sails comfortably by.

Health Statistics

Single mothers report 30% higher child obesity rates at 40.2% vs 30% married, 2021 data
Children of single mothers have 2x asthma hospitalization rates
Single-mother households show 25% higher child injury emergency visits
50% increased risk of childhood diabetes in single-mother families
Single mothers' children have 1.8x higher rates of mental health disorders
Infant mortality 2x higher in single-mother births, 2022 CDC
Single-mother kids 35% more likely to be food insecure affecting nutrition
Depression rates 2.5x higher among single mothers at 28%
Children in single-mother homes have 20% higher dental care unmet needs
Single-mother families report 40% higher stress-related illnesses
Low birth weight babies 50% more common in single-mother pregnancies
Single mothers have 1.6x higher obesity rates at 45%
Child vaccination rates 15% lower in single-mother households
Single-mother children 2x more likely to develop anxiety disorders
30% higher emergency room visits for preventable conditions
Single mothers smoke at 25% rate vs 15% married, harming kids
Child lead poisoning 1.7x higher in single-mother homes
Single-mother families have 22% higher child Medicaid usage for chronic issues
Maternal mortality post-birth 3x higher for single mothers
Single-mother kids 28% more likely to have developmental delays
35% of single mothers lack health insurance for children periods
Single-mother household sleep disorders in kids 40% higher
Child cancer survival rates 10% lower due to late diagnosis
Single mothers' hypertension rates 32% vs 22% married
Single-mother children 2.2x higher ear infection rates
45% of single mothers report poor mental health days weekly
Single-mother families 25% higher child vision uncorrected rates
1.9x higher teen substance abuse treatment needs
Single mothers 50% more likely to delay prenatal care

Health Statistics Interpretation

The statistics are a grim chorus highlighting the cascading toll that structural neglect and disproportionate strain take on the health of both single mothers and their children.

Sources & References

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