Hawaii has third-lowest percentage of single-mother households, study reveals

from Sarieh Law Offices, April, 2025

North Dakota and Hawaii have been identified as the states with the third-lowest percentage of single-mother households, both at 3%.

Single-father households make up 1.4% of the 493,898 households in Hawaii.

The rate of single-mother households is highest in Mississippi at 7.3%.

New research has named the states where single-mother households are most common, with Hawaii reporting the third-lowest percentage.

The study, conducted by Orange County divorce law firm Sarieh Law Offices, analyzed 2023 US Census data on the percentage of households with a female householder, no spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18.

According to the findings, Vermont has the lowest percentage of single-mother households, with only 2.5% of the 279,612 households. This is in comparison to 1.2% of single-father households.

New Hampshire has the second-lowest percentage of single-mother households, with this living setup making up 2.9% of the 569,493 households. In the state, single-father households account for 1.1% 

North Dakota and Hawaii rank joint third, both with 3% of households owned by females living with children under 18 and no spouse or partner.  

In North Dakota, single-father households account for 1.5% of the 338,059 households, and in Hawaii, they make up 1.4% of the 493,898 households.

At the other end of the scale, Mississippi has the highest percentage of single-mother households, accounting for 7.3% of the 1,166,617 households.

In comparison, single-father households only make up 1.4% of households in the state.

Louisiana has the second-highest percentage of single-mother households at 6.8% of the 1,833,915 households. In the state, single-father households account for just 1.3%.

Georgia and Alabama rank joint third, both with 6.1% of households owned by females living with children under 18 and without a spouse or partner.

In Georgia, this is compared to 1.1% of single-father households out of the 4,150,138 households in the state, whereas in Alabama, single-father households make up 1% of 2,051,545 households.

Commenting on the findings, Wail Sarieh from Sarieh Law Offices says:

“It’s interesting to see the percentage of single mothers living with their children in each state and how these compare to the percentage of single-father households. This perhaps partly reflects which parent is more likely to gain custody of the child and which is likely to be the non-custodial parent. 

“If you are the primary carer for your child or children, this should never mean you have to bear the financial cost alone. The amount the father of your child owes will depend on numerous factors, such as their income and how much time they spend with their son or daughter.

“If they refuse to pay, you can report the failed payment to Child Maintenance Service. If they still refuse to pay, the CMS will apply for a liability order. This means they can take further action, including deducting money directly from their income or seizing assets.

“You can also take legal action yourself by applying to a family court for a Child Maintenance Order.

“While this may seem time-consuming, it is worthwhile in the long run to ensure you are supported with childcare costs, as this is a legal obligation of both parents, and the responsibility should never be placed solely on you.”

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Source: US Census

Methodology:  US Census data from 2023 on state-specific percentages for the number of households with a male householder, with no spouse or partner and children of the householder under 18 and the number of households with a female householder, with no spouse or partner and children of the householder under 18.