Single Mother Statistics by State

Single-mother families represent a substantial share of families raising children in the United States, but their prevalence and economic circumstances vary considerably across states.

This analysis uses 2024 American Community Survey (ACS) estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau to examine four measures: the number of single-mother families, their share of families with children under age 18, their share of single-parent families, and the poverty rate among single-mother families with related children under age 18. ¹

At the national level, approximately 23% of families with children under age 18 are headed by a single mother. State-level estimates show considerable geographic variation. Mississippi has the highest share among the states at 33.4%, followed by Louisiana at 31.7% and Alabama at 28.6%. The lowest shares are reported in Utah (13.2%), Montana (15.8%), and North Dakota (16.9%). ¹

Economic outcomes also vary substantially. The estimated poverty rate among single-mother families is 43.9% in Mississippi, 43.6% in West Virginia, and 42.3% in Louisiana. At the lower end of the distribution, the rate is 19.7% in New Hampshire, 20.6% in Vermont, and 22.7% in both Maryland and Utah. These figures describe differences in observed economic conditions; they do not, by themselves, establish why poverty rates differ between states. ²

The table below presents the underlying state-level estimates. Select a state to examine its demographic characteristics and available assistance programs.

State-Level Single-Mother Family Statistics

State	Single-mother families	% with children	% of single-parent families	Poverty rate
Alabama	143,812	28.6%	79.5%	39.0%
Alaska	15,148	19.6%	65.4%	26.5%
Arizona	157,485	22.5%	69.1%	25.6%
Arkansas	80,703	24.8%	74.0%	37.1%
California	785,199	21.1%	69.5%	28.1%
Colorado	109,140	18.0%	69.3%	27.0%
Connecticut	88,950	24.4%	74.0%	32.9%
Delaware	26,708	27.3%	76.2%	24.8%
District of Columbia	23,468	39.6%	85.3%	43.3%
Florida	501,746	24.4%	73.2%	28.7%
Georgia	297,357	26.2%	77.7%	29.2%
Hawaii	27,197	22.7%	71.0%	24.7%
Idaho	38,503	17.6%	68.0%	24.8%
Illinois	286,359	23.0%	72.3%	29.9%
Indiana	175,401	24.2%	70.5%	32.2%
Iowa	80,483	22.8%	70.2%	31.7%
Kansas	61,884	19.4%	70.2%	34.3%
Kentucky	111,743	23.3%	70.0%	39.8%
Louisiana	149,620	31.7%	76.1%	42.3%
Maine	24,948	20.1%	66.8%	29.4%
Maryland	142,819	22.9%	73.2%	22.7%
Massachusetts	156,265	22.7%	73.1%	26.1%
Michigan	227,305	23.3%	71.0%	35.7%
Minnesota	115,814	19.1%	67.2%	24.9%
Mississippi	101,705	33.4%	83.1%	43.9%
Missouri	141,179	22.0%	68.6%	33.1%
Montana	16,904	15.8%	60.6%	29.1%
Nebraska	41,894	18.5%	67.8%	32.5%
Nevada	74,309	24.6%	67.7%	30.7%
New Hampshire	23,040	18.2%	66.0%	19.7%
New Jersey	205,548	21.2%	74.1%	25.4%
New Mexico	54,715	28.0%	65.8%	35.4%
New York	449,490	25.0%	75.3%	31.0%
North Carolina	277,690	24.1%	74.1%	31.7%
North Dakota	14,842	16.9%	66.1%	29.7%
Ohio	296,521	24.8%	72.3%	35.0%
Oklahoma	102,181	23.4%	69.4%	37.3%
Oregon	84,588	20.8%	68.2%	29.8%
Pennsylvania	286,219	22.7%	71.7%	33.7%
Puerto Rico	109,024	46.6%	78.6%	65.4%
Rhode Island	27,291	26.5%	71.8%	30.5%
South Carolina	138,351	25.6%	75.3%	36.6%
South Dakota	18,502	18.9%	65.5%	29.5%
Tennessee	171,837	23.8%	74.2%	35.5%
Texas	793,333	23.2%	74.7%	33.6%
Utah	51,332	13.2%	67.3%	22.7%
Vermont	12,272	20.8%	67.3%	20.6%
Virginia	193,372	21.2%	73.1%	26.1%
Washington	142,198	17.8%	67.5%	26.6%
West Virginia	42,555	24.7%	72.8%	43.6%
Wisconsin	129,946	22.2%	68.8%	27.8%
Wyoming	13,098	20.2%	70.8%	32.5%

Methodology and definitions

The estimates presented above are based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates. The ACS is an annual survey that produces demographic, social, economic, and housing estimates for communities throughout the United States.

What counts as a single-mother family?

For this analysis, a single-mother family is based on the Census Bureau’s family-type classification and refers to a family headed by a woman with no spouse present.

This classification should not be interpreted simply as a count of all unmarried mothers. A woman can be living with an unmarried partner and still be classified as a mother with no spouse present under the Census Bureau’s definition. Similarly, the measure describes family structure at the time of the survey and does not capture the full history or circumstances of a family.

Population covered by the statistics

The number of single-mother families and their share of families with children are based on families with their own children under age 18.

The poverty measure applies to families with related children under age 18. These population definitions are important because estimates can differ depending on whether the analysis includes all households with children, all parents, or only families meeting the Census Bureau’s specific family definitions.

Understanding the poverty rate

The poverty rate shown in the table represents the percentage of single-mother families with related children under age 18 whose income was below the applicable federal poverty threshold during the 12 months preceding the survey.

The federal poverty thresholds are statistical measures used by the Census Bureau to determine poverty status. They vary according to family size and composition. The poverty rate should therefore be understood as a measure of income relative to the Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds, rather than as a direct measure of financial hardship or material well-being.

Interpreting state differences

The data show substantial geographic differences in both the prevalence of single-mother families and their poverty rates.

For example, Mississippi has a single-mother family share more than twice that of Utah: 33.4% compared with 13.2%. Mississippi also has a substantially higher estimated poverty rate among single-mother families, at 43.9%, compared with 22.7% in Utah.

However, these statistics should be interpreted as descriptive differences, not evidence of a causal relationship between family structure and poverty. The table does not attempt to determine why the rates differ between states.

State-level outcomes can reflect multiple factors, including employment opportunities, wages, housing costs, household composition, educational attainment, access to child care, demographic characteristics, and differences in public assistance and tax policies. Establishing the contribution of any individual factor would require additional analysis beyond the ACS statistics presented here.

Statistical uncertainty

ACS estimates are based on survey responses and therefore contain sampling uncertainty. Each estimate has a margin of error, and the size of that uncertainty can vary considerably between states and between measures.

This is particularly important for states with smaller populations. For example, the estimated poverty rate for Wyoming has a margin of error of approximately ±8.5 percentage points. A reported rate of 32.5% should therefore not be interpreted as an exact population value.

Small differences between states may also fall within the estimates’ margins of error. For that reason, rankings based on very small percentage-point differences should be treated cautiously unless statistical significance has been established.

How to use these statistics

These figures provide a state-level demographic and economic baseline for understanding the circumstances of single-mother families. They can also provide context for examining differences in eligibility for public assistance and other programs.

For national figures and additional analysis, see single mother statistics.

Sources & notes

Data and figures on this page come from the sources and notes below:

U.S. Census Bureau , Family Type by Presence and Age of Own Children Under 18, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates. ↩ ↩²
U.S. Census Bureau , Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months of Families, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates. ↩