Single moms outnumber single dads two to one
The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows 30% of households with children in Washington state are headed by single parents. The number of single-mom households is more than twice the number of single-dad households. (At the bottom of this post we provide the raw data and explain our findings.)
In Washington, between the years 1960 and 2018, the share of families with children headed by single parents increased from 8.2% to 30.1%. When comparing that against other states, Washington’s single-parent household rate ranks 7th lowest.
Analysis performed by the Kids Count Data Center shows racial disparities in the shares of single-parent households. For example, the rate of single-parent households among Black or African American families in Washington is over twice that of Asian and Pacific Islander families.
Share of children in Washington state living in single-parent household, sorted by race
| Black or African American | 51% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41% |
| Two or More Races | 40% |
| Non-Hispanic White | 24% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 19% |
When sorted by county, Okanogan County had the highest percentage of single parent families with 43.1%. Wahiakum County had the lowest share with 17.1%. King County came in at 20.4%.
Read related WIBM piece: Powerful pro-fathers message given from Governor Inslee appointee to State Fatherhood Summit
Explanation of the data
Data Source
2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
Table ID: B11004 – Family Type by Presence and Age of Related Children Under 18 (see snip below)
Geography: Washington State
Findings
Married-couple family with related children under 18: 598,525
Male householder, no spouse present, with related children under 18: 82,468
Female householder, no spouse present, with related children under 18: 178,614
Total households with related children under 18: 598,525 + 82,468, + 178,614 = 859,607
Single-mom households compared to single-dad households: 178,614 / 82,468 = 2.17 times more
Share of households with children under 18 headed by single-parents: (82,468 + 178,614) / 859,607 = 30.4%
