Inequality In Single Parent Statistics

If you look up single parent statistics online, you will find some very conflicting information. On one hand you will find that there are about 14 million single parents households in the U.S. These parents are responsible for raising approximately 22 million children.

Single parents’ statistics breakdown indicate that 83.1% of these single parent households have a mother as head of household. Only 16.9% have fathers as the head of their household. These single mothers can be broken into three categories:

  • 45.9% of single mothers are separated or divorced.

  • 30.5% of single mothers have never been married.

  • 1.7% of single mothers are widows.

The statistical breakdowns for single fathers (who have custody of their children) showed that only 56.4% of fathers are either separated or divorced. Only 19.7% have never been married and 0.8% are widowed.

One notable occurrence when searching for single parent statistics is the biased reporting of statistics regarding single parent mothers and single parent fathers. For instance, the breakdown of single parenting statistics on fathers included the percentage of custodial fathers who were now married. Though not married to their child’s mother, they were now in a marriage. This information was not included for single mothers.

It is also noted some frightening single parenting statistics (and conclusions) that have been drawn based on statistics available for mothers (though not on fathers). Some of these include that 70% of inmates in juvenile detention centers (long-term sentences) came from single mother households. Seventy-two percent of juvenile murderers are from a female only household.

Sixty percent of those who commit rape are from single-mother homes. Overall, some 70% of teen births, suicides, juvenile crimes, children who murder, school dropouts, and children who run away from home happen with children who are from single mothers household.

These single parenting statistics are all aimed at households where a mother is the single parent, and used in conservative arguments for women to stay in marriages “for the children”. Claims have also been made that a child raised in a home where marital arguments and tensions (non-violent) are present; has a much better chance at success than the child raised in a home where a father is not present.

Single parenting statistics for those homes without the mother present were not available. It is unknown if they are not published or if detrimental effects on children being raised in a home led by a father (with no mother present) have not been studied.

Today, far more women than men do make up the single parent household and single parenting statistics. However, it seems one must be careful how these statistics are used and analyzed. A misconception drawn from some of these single parents’ statistics is that single parent homes led by women are at or below poverty level.

This is not the case, in fact only approximately 28% of these households are at or below poverty level. The shocking single parenting statistics regarding juvenile delinquency may have been extracted from only those households. If you take those children who were from single mother homes and who were living in poverty you may very well come up with those high percentages.

Regardless of the scientific method used to come up with those single parenting statistics, as a society, perhaps our focus should be to figure out how we can change them, instead of automatically blaming single mothers.


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