Single mothers earn income that places them well below married mothers in the income ladder. The gap between the two groups is significantly large. The median income for families led by a single mother in 2018 was about $45,128, well below the $93,654 median for married couples.
Out of more than 10 million low-income working families with children, 39% were headed by single working mothers or about 4.1 million. The proportion is much higher among African Americans (65%) compared with whites (36%). Only one-third of single mothers received any child support, and the average amount these mothers received was only about $430 a month.