40% of Single-Mothers in the US Live Below the Poverty Line
Mother’s Day is about celebrating Mothers as the literal life-giving, badass women they so naturally are. But Mom’s around the country apparently need much more than flowers. Support single-Mothers right here.
Once largely limited to poor women and minorities, single motherhood is now becoming a new normal in the United States, as nearly 10 million women currently head single-parent homes. And unfortunately, the reality for these women is increasingly devastating as being a single-mother in the US increasingly leads to poverty.
According to the US Census, here are some glaring statistics:
- 36.5% of single-Mothers in the US are poor.
- 52% of single-Mothers in the US live in extreme poverty; on a weekly family budget of about $200 for a family of three.
- 25% of children under the age of 18 — a total of about 17.2 million — are being raised without a father.
- 40% of these “single-Mothered” children — about 7 million of them — live below the poverty line.
- The median income for single Mothers is $26,000 — compared to $84,000 for married couples.
- Single-Mothers in the US work more hours and have higher poverty rates than single mothers in other high-income countries.
Research shows that lower-income men have never had more downtime, while working single mothers have never been more common. The first part is a problem. The second is a crisis. This means that single-mothers, 40% of which live in poverty, are working more than ever before.
“…men have never had more downtime, while working single mothers have never been more common.”
How you can help:
For starters, like all things, you can learn more about what’s happening. That’s one of our primary goals here, to help you simply understand more about important issues that are affecting your life, so go read something.
Additionally, you can support these top-rated organizations who empower low-income Mothers in a variety of different ways:
- Mother’s Milk Bank of Austin
- Austin Diaper Bank
- SAFE | Stop Abuse For Everyone
- People’s Community Clinic
- Manos Cristos
- Planned Parenthood of Greater Austin
