What Is a Single Mother?

In 2013, families headed by single mothers were more than five times as likely to be poor as two-parent families. This ratio has been remarkably stable over time: Thirty years ago, it was almost identical.

How can that be? After all, the past 30 years have seen impressive growth in women’s education and labor-force participation, and in other statistics that indicate prosperity. The income gains for college-educated women, in particular, have been nothing short of remarkable. Yet single mothers haven’t been able to cash in on these trends; in recent years, higher incomes have flowed only to married mothers and childless women. Understanding this problem requires a closer look at the subgroups that make up the “single mother” category.