Supporting Single Mothers: What the Numbers Reveal and Why it Matters

At Village of the Second Sunrise, our heart beats for the resilience of single parents, especially single mothers, who carry the weight—and the wonder—of building strong families. Here’s a look at what the data tells us about their challenges and why our mission matters now more than ever.

The Landscape: Who Are Single Parents in the U.S.?

Single mothers make up roughly 80% of single-parent households in the U.S., overseeing households with children under 18. (Worldmetrics, Center for American Progress)

In 2023 alone, there were about 7.3 million single mothers compared to 1.6 million single fathers. (Center for American Progress)

Today, 1 in 5 families with children under 18 is headed by a single mother. (Popsugar, Center for American Progress)

Economic Reality: Poverty, Earnings & Stress

Roughly 28–30% of single mothers live in poverty—double the national average.

(Worldmetrics, Wikipedia)

In many regions, nearly half of single mother households fall below the poverty line.

Median income for single mother households hovers around $34,000–$36,000 annually.

(Worldmetrics)

And the financial strain goes deeper—30% struggle with food insecurity, and 1 in 3 face housing instability. (Worldmetrics, Nehemiah Initiative)

On the Job: Juggling Work & Parenting

Despite hardship, over 80% of underserviced single mothers are in the workforce; 60% work full-time. (Worldmetrics)

Still, many are in low-wage jobs with limited benefits. Single mothers are over twice as likely to be unemployed compared to partnered mothers. (studylib.net)

Combine that with around 32% reporting poor mental health or high stress, and it's clear the human cost is immense. (Worldmetrics, Crown Counseling, TIME)

How Children Are Affected

Children in single-parent homes are more likely to grow up in poverty and face academic and emotional hurdles. (Worldmetrics, Wikipedia)

Educational attainment is harder to achieve; single-parent households are overrepresented in school dropouts and behavioral challenges. (Wikipedia)

The lack of a two-parent income correlates to higher poverty rates, especially among Black and Hispanic single-mother-led families. (Center for American Progress, Wikipedia)

Why This Matters—and What We Can Do

These are more than stats—they're human stories. Each percentage point and figure represents a mother working overtime, skipping meals, or sacrificing emotional and physical rest to keep her family afloat.

Village of the Second Sunrise stands at that intersection of struggle and hope. Our mission is rooted in belief: that by nurturing resilience, growing economic opportunity, and providing community care, we can turn these numbers into stories of strength, stability, and success.

If you feel called to support the thousands of single parents in your community, join us—whether by volunteering, sharing resources, or donating.