This story originally appeared on Smartest Dollar.
According to a recent Pew Research Center report, children in the United States are more likely to live in a single-parent household than children in at least 129 other countries, including China, India and all of Europe.
Maintaining a household as a single parent presents a number of challenges, the largest of which for many single-parent families are financial. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2018 Consumer Expenditure Survey, single parents with minor children devote a larger share of their spending on necessary costs of living, like food and housing, than married parents do.
COVID-19 has only intensified the challenges faced by single parents. Those who have lost their jobs might struggle to cover living expenses, while those still employed must cope with a lack of child care options and schools being closed.
Researchers used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey to determine the percentage of all households with children under 18 that are headed by a single parent. The total number of households with children under 18 that are headed by single moms and single dads was divided by the total number of households with children under 18.
In determining which cities have the most single parents, researchers made this calculation for all cities with at least 100,000 residents and sorted the results by those with the highest share of single-parent households.
Following are the large U.S. cities with the most single parents.
15. Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 43.8%
- Total families with a single parent: 23,277
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 30.9%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 12.9%
14. Fresno, California
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 44.9%
- Total families with a single parent: 25,835
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 34.4%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 10.5%
13. Tucson, Arizona
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 45.4%
- Total families with a single parent: 23,056
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 32.9%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 12.5%
12. Atlanta
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 46.1%
- Total families with a single parent: 17,054
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 39.8%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 6.3%
11. Boston
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 46.8%
- Total families with a single parent: 24,266
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 40.4%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 6.4%
10. Washington, D.C.
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 47.7%
- Total families with a single parent: 24,096
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 38.9%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 8.8%
9. Indianapolis
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 48.9%
- Total families with a single parent: 39,765
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 38.3%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 10.7%
8. Columbus, Ohio
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 49.4%
- Total families with a single parent: 43,827
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 38.3%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 11.1%
7. Baltimore
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 52.7%
- Total families with a single parent: 24,131
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 45.2%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 7.6%
6. New Orleans
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 52.8%
- Total families with a single parent: 13,566
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 44.2%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 8.7%
5. Philadelphia
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 57.0%
- Total families with a single parent: 79,749
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 46.3%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 10.7%
4. Milwaukee
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 58.9%
- Total families with a single parent: 36,742
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 46.1%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 12.8%
3. Memphis, Tennessee
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 63.1%
- Total families with a single parent: 37,284
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 53.9%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 9.3%
2. Detroit
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 72.0%
- Total families with a single parent: 44,234
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 59.0%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 13.0%
1. Cleveland
- Percentage of families with a single parent: 73.3%
- Total families with a single parent: 26,434
- Percentage of families with a single mom: 58.3%
- Percentage of families with a single dad: 15.0%
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