Single motherhood has grown so common in America that as of 2018, 11.3 million families in the US were headed by a single parent, 81% of which were headed by a female.

Once largely limited to poor women and minorities, single motherhood is now becoming the new “norm”.

This prevalence is due in part to the growing trend of children born outside marriage — a societal trend that was virtually unheard of decades ago.

About 4 out 10 children were born to unwed mothers. Nearly two-thirds were born to mothers under the age of 30

Today 1 in 4 children under the age of 18 — a total of about 16.4 million — are being raised without a father

Of all single-parent families in the U.S., single mothers make up the majority.