States with the most single-parent households

Canva The COVID-19 pandemic came with serious consequences for all families in the U.S., what with the transition of classrooms into the home, the constant threat of serious illness, and the loss of work for many parents. The pandemic was particularly debilitating for single-parent households–especially those headed by women, who still bear the brunt of domestic work. Single-parent households already dealt with disproportionately high economic precarity compared to dual-parent households and other family structures prior to the pandemic. Between frequently relying on a single income, the expense of childcare, and a lack of robust resources available to help and protect single parents, these households experienced higher levels of economic insecurity than others. However, the onset of the pandemic widened existing disparities partially because of the concentrated effects of school and childcare closures. As of 2019, the U.S. had the highest percentage of single-parent households in the world, with millions of solo guardians struggling to make ends meet on one income while performing all the labor of parenting day in and day out. Single parents are often faced with difficult or even impossible choices: whether to pay rent or buy food and whether to go to work or take care of a child. The problem is even worse for single parents working low wage jobs, 93% of whom had no access to paid family and medical leave as of 2018. (As of 2022, 60% of the lowest 10% of all wage workers cannot earn paid sick days, compared to just 4% of the highest 10% of earners.) To determine the states with the most single-parent households, Stacker used data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey 2021 five-year estimates. The survey data was collected in 2021 and released in 2022. All 50 states and Washington D.C. are ranked here according to the share of households that have single parents, classified as either “Male householder, no wife present, children of the householder under 18 years” or “Female householder, no husband present, children of the householder under 18 years.” Census categories currently fail to capture the full scope of potential LGBTQ+ family relationships and identities. Along with each state, information about the breakdown of single parents, as well as the total number of married couples with kids, is provided. Continue reading to find out more about the states with the most single-parent households. #51. Hawaii Caleb Walsh // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 21,714 (4.6% of all households) — Single mom households: 16,032 (3.4% of all households, #50 highest among states) — Single dad households: 5,682 (1.2% of all households, #37 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 87,916 (18.4% of all households, #22 highest) #50. New Hampshire LightField Studios // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 24,778 (4.6% of all households) — Single mom households: 18,668 (3.5% of all households, #48 highest among states) — Single dad households: 6,110 (1.1% of all households, #47 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 95,517 (17.7% of all households, #29 highest) #49. Maine Ilona Titova // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 26,257 (4.6% of all households) — Single mom households: 19,541 (3.4% of all households, #49 highest among states) — Single dad households: 6,716 (1.2% of all households, #36 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 87,942 (15.4% of all households, #46 highest) #48. Montana Jon Bilous // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 21,507 (4.9% of all households) — Single mom households: 14,998 (3.4% of all households, #51 highest among states) — Single dad households: 6,509 (1.5% of all households, #9 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 73,572 (16.9% of all households, #37 highest) #47. Vermont vermontalm // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 13,130 (5.0% of all households) — Single mom households: 10,028 (3.8% of all households, #45 highest among states) — Single dad households: 3,102 (1.2% of all households, #39 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 39,575 (15.1% of all households, #49 highest) #46. West Virginia Steve Heap // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 35,764 (5.0% of all households) — Single mom households: 27,905 (3.9% of all households, #42 highest among states) — Single dad households: 7,859 (1.1% of all households, #46 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 108,466 (15.2% of all households, #48 highest) #45. Utah Stellamc // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 53,042 (5.1% of all households) — Single mom households: 39,305 (3.8% of all households, #43 highest among states) — Single dad households: 13,737 (1.3% of all households, #28 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 303,732 (29.4% of all households, #1 highest) #44. Wyoming GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 11,959 (5.2% of all households) — Single mom households: 8,701 (3.8% of all households, #46 highest among states) — Single dad households: 3,258 (1.4% of all households, #18 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 45,198 (19.6% of all households, #13 highest) #43. North Dakota Guy William // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 16,444 (5.2% of all households) — Single mom households: 12,014 (3.8% of all households, #44 highest among states) — Single dad households: 4,430 (1.4% of all households, #17 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 59,443 (18.8% of all households, #18 highest) #42. Idaho Oliveromg // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 33,920 (5.2% of all households) — Single mom households: 24,389 (3.7% of all households, #47 highest among states) — Single dad households: 9,531 (1.5% of all households, #8 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 146,016 (22.2% of all households, #3 highest) #41. Washington Alexsei Potov // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 151,954 (5.2% of all households) — Single mom households: 114,897 (3.9% of all households, #41 highest among states) — Single dad households: 37,057 (1.3% of all households, #22 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 584,510 (19.9% of all households, #11 highest) #40. Oregon Ahturner // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 87,455 (5.3% of all households) — Single mom households: 66,173 (4.0% of all households, #40 highest among states) — Single dad households: 21,282 (1.3% of all households, #26 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 295,138 (17.8% of all households, #27 highest) #39. Minnesota Checubus // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 121,366 (5.4% of all households) — Single mom households: 91,530 (4.1% of all households, #38 highest among states) — Single dad households: 29,836 (1.3% of all households, #24 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 444,643 (19.9% of all households, #12 highest) #38. Colorado Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 122,139 (5.5% of all households) — Single mom households: 88,089 (4.0% of all households, #39 highest among states) — Single dad households: 34,050 (1.5% of all households, #6 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 448,753 (20.1% of all households, #8 highest) #37. South Dakota JaySi // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 19,285 (5.6% of all households) — Single mom households: 14,734 (4.3% of all households, #36 highest among states) — Single dad households: 4,551 (1.3% of all households, #30 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 65,896 (19.1% of all households, #15 highest) #36. Iowa Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 73,488 (5.8% of all households) — Single mom households: 56,065 (4.4% of all households, #35 highest among states) — Single dad households: 17,423 (1.4% of all households, #14 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 241,826 (19.0% of all households, #16 highest) #35. Nebraska Aspects and Angles // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 45,353 (5.9% of all households) — Single mom households: 34,394 (4.5% of all households, #33 highest among states) — Single dad households: 10,959 (1.4% of all households, #16 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 157,032 (20.5% of all households, #7 highest) #34. Kansas IrinaK // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 67,703 (5.9% of all households) — Single mom households: 51,845 (4.5% of all households, #32 highest among states) — Single dad households: 15,858 (1.4% of all households, #15 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 227,443 (20.0% of all households, #9 highest) #33. Wisconsin James Meyer // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 142,024 (5.9% of all households) — Single mom households: 106,536 (4.4% of all households, #34 highest among states) — Single dad households: 35,488 (1.5% of all households, #5 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 413,088 (17.2% of all households, #33 highest) #32. Massachusetts Newman Studio // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 159,427 (5.9% of all households) — Single mom households: 133,036 (4.9% of all households, #27 highest among states) — Single dad households: 26,391 (1.0% of all households, #50 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 497,049 (18.3% of all households, #23 highest) #31. New Jersey Vlad G // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 201,547 (5.9% of all households) — Single mom households: 167,644 (4.9% of all households, #25 highest among states) — Single dad households: 33,903 (1.0% of all households, #49 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 722,047 (21.3% of all households, #5 highest) #30. Alaska Ramunas Bruzas // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 15,493 (6.0% of all households) — Single mom households: 11,077 (4.3% of all households, #37 highest among states) — Single dad households: 4,416 (1.7% of all households, #2 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 55,806 (21.4% of all households, #4 highest) #29. Pennsylvania Christian Hinkle // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 309,013 (6.0% of all households) — Single mom households: 246,207 (4.8% of all households, #30 highest among states) — Single dad households: 62,806 (1.2% of all households, #31 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 865,873 (16.8% of all households, #38 highest) #28. California Sundry Photography // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 786,909 (6.0% of all households) — Single mom households: 614,747 (4.7% of all households, #31 highest among states) — Single dad households: 172,162 (1.3% of all households, #19 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 2,780,272 (21.0% of all households, #6 highest) #27. Virginia Vinay Selvaraj // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 198,491 (6.1% of all households) — Single mom households: 160,205 (4.9% of all households, #26 highest among states) — Single dad households: 38,286 (1.2% of all households, #34 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 647,650 (19.9% of all households, #10 highest) #26. Florida Kamira // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 498,573 (6.1% of all households) — Single mom households: 404,882 (5.0% of all households, #23 highest among states) — Single dad households: 93,691 (1.1% of all households, #40 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 1,246,178 (15.3% of all households, #47 highest) #25. Michigan Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 246,353 (6.2% of all households) — Single mom households: 194,529 (4.9% of all households, #24 highest among states) — Single dad households: 51,824 (1.3% of all households, #21 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 674,104 (17.0% of all households, #35 highest) #24. Illinois f11photo // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 307,888 (6.2% of all households) — Single mom households: 253,375 (5.1% of all households, #21 highest among states) — Single dad households: 54,513 (1.1% of all households, #41 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 914,650 (18.6% of all households, #20 highest) #23. Missouri Real Window Creative // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 152,502 (6.3% of all households) — Single mom households: 119,199 (4.9% of all households, #29 highest among states) — Single dad households: 33,303 (1.4% of all households, #12 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 428,858 (17.6% of all households, #31 highest) #22. New York TravnikovStudio // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 472,953 (6.3% of all households) — Single mom households: 396,893 (5.3% of all households, #17 highest among states) — Single dad households: 76,060 (1.0% of all households, #48 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 1,287,324 (17.1% of all households, #34 highest) #21. Connecticut Jon Bilous // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 90,503 (6.4% of all households) — Single mom households: 74,605 (5.3% of all households, #18 highest among states) — Single dad households: 15,898 (1.1% of all households, #44 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 256,971 (18.4% of all households, #21 highest) #20. Arizona Tim Roberts Photography // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 170,878 (6.4% of all households) — Single mom households: 131,613 (4.9% of all households, #28 highest among states) — Single dad households: 39,265 (1.5% of all households, #4 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 471,715 (17.6% of all households, #30 highest) #19. Kentucky Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 114,047 (6.5% of all households) — Single mom households: 88,790 (5.1% of all households, #22 highest among states) — Single dad households: 25,257 (1.4% of all households, #13 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 309,072 (17.7% of all households, #28 highest) #18. Indiana Brad Whitsitt // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 174,522 (6.6% of all households) — Single mom households: 137,388 (5.2% of all households, #20 highest among states) — Single dad households: 37,134 (1.4% of all households, #11 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 478,486 (18.2% of all households, #24 highest) #17. Delaware Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 25,625 (6.7% of all households) — Single mom households: 20,494 (5.4% of all households, #16 highest among states) — Single dad households: 5,131 (1.3% of all households, #29 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 58,930 (15.5% of all households, #45 highest) #16. Rhode Island Jacob L. // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 28,496 (6.7% of all households) — Single mom households: 23,446 (5.5% of all households, #14 highest among states) — Single dad households: 5,050 (1.2% of all households, #38 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 68,447 (16.0% of all households, #44 highest) #15. Ohio Sean Pavone // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 320,166 (6.7% of all households) — Single mom households: 257,550 (5.4% of all households, #15 highest among states) — Single dad households: 62,616 (1.3% of all households, #20 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 789,525 (16.6% of all households, #39 highest) #14. Maryland Jacob L. // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 155,582 (6.8% of all households) — Single mom households: 127,870 (5.6% of all households, #10 highest among states) — Single dad households: 27,712 (1.2% of all households, #35 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 439,055 (19.1% of all households, #14 highest) #13. Tennessee Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 182,430 (6.8% of all households) — Single mom households: 146,733 (5.5% of all households, #11 highest among states) — Single dad households: 35,697 (1.3% of all households, #23 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 461,559 (17.3% of all households, #32 highest) #12. North Carolina Margaret.Wiktor // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 274,487 (6.8% of all households) — Single mom households: 226,955 (5.6% of all households, #9 highest among states) — Single dad households: 47,532 (1.2% of all households, #32 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 716,925 (17.8% of all households, #26 highest) #11. Washington D.C. Daxiao Productions // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 21,228 (6.9% of all households) — Single mom households: 18,217 (5.9% of all households, #8 highest among states) — Single dad households: 3,011 (1.0% of all households, #51 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 30,409 (9.8% of all households, #51 highest) #10. New Mexico turtix // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 56,543 (7.0% of all households) — Single mom households: 44,225 (5.5% of all households, #13 highest among states) — Single dad households: 12,318 (1.5% of all households, #7 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 116,880 (14.7% of all households, #50 highest) #9. Nevada Khairil Azhar Junos // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 80,568 (7.0% of all households) — Single mom households: 60,752 (5.3% of all households, #19 highest among states) — Single dad households: 19,816 (1.7% of all households, #1 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 193,514 (16.9% of all households, #36 highest) #8. South Carolina Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 139,613 (7.1% of all households) — Single mom households: 118,776 (6.0% of all households, #6 highest among states) — Single dad households: 20,837 (1.1% of all households, #42 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 318,923 (16.1% of all households, #42 highest) #7. Oklahoma Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 106,678 (7.1% of all households) — Single mom households: 82,662 (5.5% of all households, #12 highest among states) — Single dad households: 24,016 (1.6% of all households, #3 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 281,367 (18.7% of all households, #19 highest) #6. Alabama BJ Ray // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 135,930 (7.2% of all households) — Single mom households: 115,418 (6.1% of all households, #5 highest among states) — Single dad households: 20,512 (1.1% of all households, #43 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 315,140 (16.6% of all households, #40 highest) #5. Arkansas Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 85,471 (7.3% of all households) — Single mom households: 69,852 (6.0% of all households, #7 highest among states) — Single dad households: 15,619 (1.3% of all households, #27 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 207,198 (17.9% of all households, #25 highest) #4. Texas pitagchai // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 780,625 (7.7% of all households) — Single mom households: 640,866 (6.3% of all households, #4 highest among states) — Single dad households: 139,759 (1.4% of all households, #10 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 2,279,656 (22.3% of all households, #2 highest) #3. Georgia LumineImages // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 308,490 (7.9% of all households) — Single mom households: 261,320 (6.7% of all households, #3 highest among states) — Single dad households: 47,170 (1.2% of all households, #33 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 733,323 (18.9% of all households, #17 highest) #2. Louisiana Trong Nguyen // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 147,074 (8.4% of all households) — Single mom households: 123,528 (7.1% of all households, #2 highest among states) — Single dad households: 23,546 (1.3% of all households, #25 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 279,997 (16.0% of all households, #43 highest) #1. Mississippi Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock – Single-parent households: 97,568 (8.8% of all households) — Single mom households: 85,434 (7.7% of all households, #1 highest among states) — Single dad households: 12,134 (1.1% of all households, #45 highest) – Married couple with kids households: 180,753 (16.3% of all households, #41 highest)