placestats

Children in single-parent households

The percentage of children who live in a household headed by one parent.

Reported for2,826areas, in 51 states — none in PR
Link to density0.06not mostly about how urban a place is
Nearby places alike0.47Moran’s I: strongly, neighbouring places tend to be similar
Typerate%

How it has moved

Loading…

Every state, every year

One row per state and one column per year, sorted by the latest value. It shows states, not counties: nobody can scan 3,222 rows, and the pattern only shows when it all fits on one screen.

Loading…

Where it comes from

County Health Rankings · County Health Rankings v082
University of Wisconsin · 13 releases, 2013–2025; each value filed under the last year its data covers, 2010–2023 · 95% likely ranges, converted to 90%; figures based on small counts are withheld

Share of children living with one parent. From the American Community Survey, with five years of answers pooled together. Source: County Health Rankings, which compiles each measure from its own source and filed here under the last year of the period it covers.

Combining areas: an average weighted by population.

What it goes with

The strongest links that have a page of their own. Unadjusted is the link before adjusting for anything, from −1 (opposite) to +1 (in step). Adjusted compares places with the same population density, income and education levels, so those differences can’t explain the link. This list leaves out the 0 pairs built from the same numbers or the same model as this measure, since they are bound to match.

MeasureUnadjustedAdjusted
Children in single-parent households and Share Black, not HispanicWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Share Black, not Hispanic tends to be higher: a strong link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share Black, not Hispanic by US county+0.78+0.73
Children in single-parent households and Housing insecurityWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Housing insecurity tends to be higher: a strong link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Housing insecurity by US county+0.80+0.73
Children in single-parent households and Food insecurityWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Food insecurity tends to be higher: a strong link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Food insecurity by US county+0.78+0.72
Children in single-parent households and Homicide rate, annualWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Homicide rate, annual tends to be higher: a strong link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Homicide rate, annual by US county+0.78+0.71
Children in single-parent households and Lack of reliable transportationWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Lack of reliable transportation tends to be higher: a strong link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Lack of reliable transportation by US county+0.77+0.71
Children in single-parent households and Homicide rateWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Homicide rate tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Homicide rate by US county+0.79+0.69
Children in single-parent households and Threat of utility shut-offWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Threat of utility shut-off tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Threat of utility shut-off by US county+0.78+0.69
Children in single-parent households and StrokeWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Stroke tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Stroke by US county+0.75+0.68
Children in single-parent households and Self-care disabilityWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Self-care disability tends to be higher: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Self-care disability by US county+0.74+0.66
Children in single-parent households and Material security scoreWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Material security score by US county-0.76-0.66

Population makeup

How this measure varies with the racial and ethnic makeup of counties. Every group is shown, whatever its rank. These are links across counties: they describe places, not people. They say nothing about any person’s risk or behaviour based on their race. Counties with a larger share of one group also differ in much else, such as income, segregation, region and history. The adjusted figure only accounts for density, income and education.

Share of residentsUnadjustedAdjusted
Children in single-parent households and Share White, not HispanicWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Share White, not Hispanic tends to be lower: a moderate link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share White, not Hispanic by US county-0.60-0.65
Children in single-parent households and Share Black, not HispanicWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Share Black, not Hispanic tends to be higher: a strong link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share Black, not Hispanic by US county+0.78+0.73
Children in single-parent households and Share Hispanic or Latino, any raceWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Share Hispanic or Latino, any race tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share Hispanic or Latino, any race by US county+0.11+0.19
Children in single-parent households and Share Asian, not HispanicWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Share Asian, not Hispanic tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Asian, not Hispanic by US county-0.10+0.14
Children in single-parent households and Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not HispanicWhere Children in single-parent households is higher, Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic by US county+0.24+0.33

Highest and lowest

Of 2,826 counties reporting it. These are the two ends of a national ranking. For most measures, that ranking mostly sorts places by income and how urban they are. That is why the place pages compare each place with similar places instead.

Highest

  1. McCormick County, SC — 0.779%
  2. Wilcox County, AL — 0.754%
  3. East Carroll Parish, LA — 0.746%
  4. Culberson County, TX — 0.726%
  5. Bullock County, AL — 0.713%

Lowest

  1. Custer County, ID — 0%
  2. Meagher County, MT — 0%
  3. Blaine County, NE — 0%
  4. Esmeralda County, NV — 0%
  5. Jeff Davis County, TX — 0%

The middle area reports 0.228%. The middle half of counties falls between 0.182% and 0.292% (the 25th to 75th percentile).

All measures · Explore its pairs · How the US county data works