Age

  • 39.1% of custodial single mothers are 40 years old or older

    • Children

  • 54% of custodial mothers are raising one child from the absent parent
  • 46% have two or more children living with them
References:
United States. Census Department.
Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2007. By Timothy S. Grall. Census, 2009. 26 Feb. 2010
US Census

The Typical Single Parent

    Gender

  • Approximately 84% of custodial parents are mothers
  • 16% of custodial parents are fathers

    • Reasons for Single Mothers

  • 45% are currently divorced or separated
  • 34.2% have never been married
  • 19% are married (In most cases, these numbers represent women who have remarried.)
  • 1.7% were widowed

    • Reasons for Single Fathers

  • 57.8% are divorced or separated
  • 20.9% have never married
  • 20% are currently married (In most cases, these numbers represent men who have remarried.)
  • Fewer than 1% were widowed

    • Employment

  • 79.5% of custodial single mothers are gainfully employed
  • 49.8% work full time, year round
  • 29.7% work part-time or part-year
  • 90% of custodial single fathers are gainfully employed
  • 71.7% work full time, year round
  • 18.4% work part-time or part-year

    • Income

  • 27% of custodial single mothers and their children live in poverty
  • 12.9% of custodial single fathers and their children live in poverty

    • Government Asistance

  • 22% receive Medicaid
  • 23.5% receive food stamps
  • 12% receive some form of public housing or rent subsidy
  • 5% receive TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)