Working mothers in the US, EU, Canada, and the UK face different childcare access, enrollment, and waitlist pressures. These factors influence how much time they spend on care and how that burden can show up as stress, burnout, and mental health risk. The page also compares working hours and employment levels—alongside earnings gaps and labor force participation trends—across regions and family circumstances.
Key Takeaways
- In US, 45% of working mothers used childcare costing average $10,853 yearly per child 2022
- EU working mothers childcare enrollment 35.2% for under-3s in 2022
- Canada childcare waitlists affected 28% of working mothers 2021
- Working mothers spent 2.6 hours daily on childcare US 2022, vs 1.1 fathers
- 42% US working mothers reported high stress levels 2023
- EU working mothers depression risk 1.5x higher than fathers 2022
- Mothers in STEM fields had 82.1% US participation rate in 2022
- Median weekly earnings for working mothers in US were $992 in 2022, 82.3% of fathers' $1,205
- Full-time working mothers earned 76.4% of men's wages in EU 2022
- In 2022, US working mothers averaged 35.6 hours per week, down 1.2 from 2019
- EU working mothers worked 31.4 hours weekly on average in 2022, vs 37.2 for men
- Canadian working mothers averaged 28.9 paid hours weekly in 2021
- In 2023, 72.1% of mothers with children under 18 years old were employed or seeking work, up from 70.5% in 2020
- Among working mothers aged 25-54 in the US, labor force participation reached 75.3% in 2022, compared to 88.2% for childless women in the same age group
- In the EU, 73.4% of women with children under 6 were employed in 2022, a 4.2% increase since 2015
Working mothers still face high costs and stress, with major childcare and pay gaps across the US, EU, Canada, and UK.
Related reading
01 · Category
Childcare Challenges25 stats
01
In US, 45% of working mothers used childcare costing average $10,853 yearly per child 2022
02
EU working mothers childcare enrollment 35.2% for under-3s in 2022
03
Canada childcare waitlists affected 28% of working mothers 2021
04
UK 1.3 million children lacked formal childcare impacting mothers 2022
05
Australia childcare fees averaged AUD 122 daily for working mothers 2023
06
India 78% working mothers relied on grandparents for childcare 2022
07
Japan childcare shortage caused 19,000 mothers not working 2022
08
Brazil 62% working mothers faced childcare barriers 2022
09
South Korea waiting list for daycare 20% over capacity 2023
10
Germany Kita places short by 300,000 for working mothers 2022
11
France 12% of working mothers quit due to childcare 2021
12
Sweden subsidized childcare covered 85% of working mothers needs 2022
13
Mexico informal childcare used by 55% working mothers 2022
14
Italy southern regions 40% childcare gap for mothers 2023
15
US single working mothers 30% childcare insecure 2022
16
Pandemic childcare closures led 2.3M US women/mothers out of workforce 2020
17
Black working mothers 52% childcare costs >7% income 2022
18
Employer-sponsored childcare used by 12% US firms for mothers 2023
19
College mothers 22% reported childcare as top barrier 2022
20
Rural working mothers 65% lack childcare options US 2022
21
37% working mothers reduced hours due to childcare 2023 Gallup
22
Dutch subsidized care 90% coverage for mothers 2022
23
Norway universal childcare 95% access rate 2022
24
Spain co-working childcare pilots for 5% mothers 2023
25
China urban childcare centers up 15% but mothers gap 2021
Interpretation
Childcare Challenges Interpretation
Across countries, childcare challenges are widespread and costly, with 45% of US working mothers spending an average of $10,853 per child each year in 2022 and only 35.2% of EU mothers enrolled children under 3 in 2022, showing how access and affordability pressures persist under this childcare challenges category.
02 · Category
Health And Well Being26 stats
01
Working mothers spent 2.6 hours daily on childcare US 2022, vs 1.1 fathers
02
42% US working mothers reported high stress levels 2023
03
EU working mothers depression risk 1.5x higher than fathers 2022
04
Canada working mothers burnout 38% in 2021 survey
05
UK 51% working mothers mental health declined post-kids 2022
06
Australia working mothers sleep averaged 6.4 hours nightly 2023
07
India urban working mothers anxiety 45% prevalence 2022
08
Japan karoshi risk higher for working mothers 12% 2022
09
Brazil working mothers obesity rate 28.4% vs 22% childless 2022
10
South Korea working mothers suicide ideation 22% 2023
11
Germany working mothers work-family conflict 67% 2022
12
France maternity leave return stress 35% mothers 2021
13
Sweden working mothers life satisfaction 7.8/10 2022
14
Mexico working mothers hypertension 31% 2022
15
Italy southern working mothers depression 29% 2023
16
US working mothers happiness 6.9/10 vs 7.5 childless 2022
17
Single working mothers 48% chronic stress US 2022
18
Black working mothers cortisol levels 25% higher 2022 study
19
Paid leave access reduced depression 15% for US mothers 2023
20
College working mothers lower BMI 2.1 points 2022
21
Mothers in flexible jobs 20% less burnout US 2023
22
29% working mothers delayed second child due to stress 2022
23
Dutch part-time mothers health score 8.2/10 2022
24
Norwegian paternity leave sharing cut mothers stress 18% 2022
25
Spain working mothers yoga adoption 42% for well-being 2023
26
China working mothers insomnia 37% urban 2021
Interpretation
Health And Well Being Interpretation
Across countries, working mothers’ health and well being is strained, with stress at 42% in the US 2023, burnout at 38% in Canada 2021, and even depression risk in the EU running 1.5 times higher than fathers in 2022.
03 · Category
Income And Wages27 stats
01
Mothers in STEM fields had 82.1% US participation rate in 2022
02
Median weekly earnings for working mothers in US were $992in 2022, 82.3% of fathers' $1,205
03
Full-time working mothers earned 76.4% of men's wages in EU 2022
04
In Canada, working mothers' average hourly wage was CAD 28.45 in 2021, vs CAD 32.10 for fathers
05
UK working mothers median salary was £28,000 in 2022, 14% less than childless women
06
Australian full-time working mothers earned AUD 1,450 weekly in 2023, 86% of men's AUD 1,688
07
In India, urban working mothers average monthly income was INR 18,500 in 2022
08
Japanese working mothers earned 74.2% of men's pay in 2022
09
Brazilian working mothers median wage was BRL 1,800 monthly in 2022
10
South Korean working mothers hourly wage gap was 31.2% in 2023
11
German working mothers full-time earnings were €3,200 monthly in 2022, 92% of fathers
12
French working mothers earned €2,450 net monthly in 2021
13
Swedish gender pay gap for parents was 12.5% in 2022 favoring men
14
Mexican working mothers average wage was MXN 8,500 monthly in 2022
15
Italian working mothers earned €1,650 monthly full-time in 2023
16
US Black working mothers median earnings $850weekly in 2022
17
Hispanic working mothers US earnings $780weekly 2022
18
Asian working mothers US $1,150weekly median 2022
19
College-grad working mothers US $1,350weekly 2022
20
HS-grad working mothers US $720weekly 2022
21
Mothers in management US earned $1,800weekly 2022
22
Working mothers poverty rate dropped to 14.2% in US 2022 with earnings growth
23
Wage penalty for motherhood in US was 4% per child in 2022 studies
24
In Netherlands, part-time working mothers earned 88% of full-time equivalents 2022
25
Norwegian working mothers bonus pay averaged 8.2% of salary 2022
26
Spanish motherhood wage penalty 11.3% in 2023
27
Chinese urban working mothers income rose 6.4% YoY in 2021
Interpretation
Income And Wages Interpretation
Across countries, working mothers consistently earn less than men, with weekly pay ranging from US median earnings of $992 in 2022 to EU full time mothers earning only 76.4% of men’s wages, underscoring a persistent income gap within the “Income And Wages” category.
More related reading
04 · Category
Work Hours And Flexibility25 stats
01
In 2022, US working mothers averaged 35.6 hours per week, down 1.2 from 2019
02
EU working mothers worked 31.4 hours weekly on average in 2022, vs 37.2 for men
03
Canadian working mothers averaged 28.9 paid hours weekly in 2021
04
UK mothers worked 26.4 hours per week in 2022, 72% part-time
05
Australian working mothers averaged 29.2 hours weekly 2023
06
Indian urban working mothers 38.7 hours weekly 2022
07
Japanese working mothers 34.1 hours weekly full-time equivalent 2022
08
Brazilian mothers 36.5 hours weekly 2022
09
South Korean working mothers 39.2 hours weekly 2023
10
German mothers 25.8 hours weekly 2022, high part-time
11
French working mothers 29.6 hours weekly 2021
12
Swedish mothers 31.2 hours weekly 2022
13
Mexican mothers 35.4 hours weekly 2022
14
Italian working mothers 28.3 hours weekly 2023
15
US working mothers 41% worked over 40 hours weekly 2022
16
55% of US working mothers wanted flexible hours in 2023 survey
17
Black US working mothers averaged 37.2 hours weekly 2022
18
Remote work adopted by 28% of working mothers US 2023
19
College-educated mothers 32.4 hours weekly US 2022
20
Mothers in healthcare worked 36.8 hours weekly US 2022
21
62% of working mothers reported work flexibility needs post-COVID 2023
22
Dutch working mothers 75% part-time 2022, averaging 24 hours
23
Norwegian flextime used by 68% of mothers 2022
24
Spanish mothers overtime 12% higher than average 2023
25
Chinese working mothers urban 41.3 hours weekly 2021
Interpretation
Work Hours And Flexibility Interpretation
Across countries, working mothers tend to work relatively short and often flexible hours, with UK mothers averaging just 26.4 hours per week in 2022 and 72% working part time while the US still shows a higher 35.6 hours on average in 2022.
05 · Category
Workforce Participation30 stats
01
In 2023, 72.1% of mothers with children under 18 years old were employed or seeking work, up from 70.5% in 2020
02
Among working mothers aged 25-54 in the US, labor force participation reached 75.3% in 2022, compared to 88.2% for childless women in the same age group
03
In the EU, 73.4% of women with children under 6 were employed in 2022, a 4.2% increase since 2015
04
US working mothers accounted for 25.1 million of the total 80.5 million employed mothers in 2023
05
In Canada, 79.2% of mothers with children aged 3-5 were in the labor force in 2021, versus 62.1% for those with infants under 1
06
UK mothers' employment rate was 72.8% in 2022 for those with dependent children, up 2.5% from pre-pandemic levels
07
In Australia, 64.7% of mothers returned to work within 12 months postpartum in 2022
08
Indian working mothers in urban areas comprised 22.4% of the female workforce in 2021
09
In Japan, only 48.6% of mothers with children under 3 were employed full-time in 2022
10
Brazilian working mothers' labor participation was 54.3% in 2022 for ages 25-49
11
In South Korea, 62.1% of mothers aged 25-39 were employed in 2023, a record high
12
German mothers' employment rate was 76.5% in 2022 for those with children over 3
13
In France, 68.2% of mothers with at least one child under 6 worked in 2021
14
Swedish working mothers participation rate was 81.4% in 2022, highest in OECD
15
In Mexico, only 42.7% of mothers with young children were in the labor force in 2022
16
Italian mothers' employment stood at 52.3% for ages 25-44 with children in 2023
17
In the US, Black working mothers had a 77.5% participation rate in 2022 vs 70.1% for White mothers
18
Hispanic working mothers in US reached 66.4% labor force rate in 2023
19
Asian American working mothers participation was 64.2% in 2022
20
College-educated US mothers had 80.3% employment rate in 2022
21
High school educated mothers employment was 58.7% in US 2022
22
In rural US areas, working mothers participation was 68.4% vs 74.2% urban in 2021
23
During COVID-19, US working mothers participation dropped 4.1% more than fathers in 2020
24
Post-COVID recovery saw US mothers regain 2.8% participation by 2023
25
In the Netherlands, 78.9% of mothers worked part-time in 2022, boosting overall participation
26
Norwegian mothers' participation was 83.2% in 2022
27
In Spain, mothers employment rose to 59.4% in 2023 from 54.1% in 2019
28
Turkish working mothers rate was 36.7% in 2022, lowest in OECD
29
In China, urban working mothers participation was 68.5% in 2021
30
In 2023, 74.6% of US mothers with children aged 6-17 were employed
Interpretation
Workforce Participation Interpretation
Across regions, workforce participation among working mothers is generally rising, such as the US going from 70.5% in 2020 to 72.1% in 2023 for mothers with children under 18, reflecting a steady increase in labor force attachment within the workforce participation category.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Working Mothers Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/working-mothers-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Working Mothers Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/working-mothers-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Working Mothers Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/working-mothers-statistics.
Sources & references
63 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level