Peter West

What Should Know About Single Mother Statistics

What usually comes to mind when you think of a single mother? By examining single mother statistics, you can have a better understanding of what the average one parent household is like.

If you are a single mom it can often feel like you are one of a kind and nobody truly knows how you feel; however, once you have a look at some basic single mother statistics, you’ll see for yourself that there are a lot of other people out there just like you. If you’re not a single mom and you have always had a certain perception of them, you may be surprised that most one parent households are much different than you have imagined when you view statistics on single mothers. This article will provide you with some key stats on the subject to hopefully provide you with a more accurate picture.

One of the more common misconceptions about single mother statistics concerns the marital status of the average mom. While most people seem to think that they are usually unwed, the truth of the matter is that only 36 percent of all births in 2004 were to unmarried women. The age of these mothers is also of interest as over 50 percent of these mothers were in their early 20s. Additionally, roughly 30 percent of women who are aged 25 to 29 who gave birth were unmarried.

Although most women who give birth are married, the number of unwedded mothers is still on the rise according to recent single mother statistics. In 2004 there was a record high rate of 46 births per every 1,000 unmarried women within the age range of 15 to 44. When compared with earlier statistics on single mothers, it can be determined that this rate is ever growing. Between the years of 1980 and 1994 the birthrate of unmarried women ages 15 to 44 increased from 29 to 46 per every 1,000 mothers. Interestingly enough however, these numbers have stayed fairly constant during the years of 1994 to 2004, with the rate fluctuating between 43 and 45 per 1,000.

One of the most widely believed fallacies concerning single mother statistics has to do with their standard of living. Most people seem to think that just because a mom is raising a child by herself that they will be living under the poverty level. The truth is however that only 27.7 percent of all single mothers in the United States live in poverty. The stats also show that she does not usually need public assistance such as welfare in order to achieve this standard of living either as only 31 percent receive public assistance. Instead, she is most likely gainfully employed as the stats show that over 79 percent of these moms hold a job.

As you can see, single mother statistics reveal a portrait of the American mother that is often not portrayed in the media and popular culture. Instead, most of these moms are dedicated, hardworking individuals that put their responsibilities first in their lives.

Article Tags: About Single Mother, Single Mother Statistics, About Single, Single Mother, Mother Statistics, Unmarried Women

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