Single Mother Statistics in Utah

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): 18%
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI): 5%
• Cash public assistance income: 4%
• Child support: 16%
• Alimony: 2%

Poverty

The poverty rate of single mothers in Utah was 28.6% in 2020, which was higher than the poverty rate of all people in Utah (8.9%) and the poverty rate of single mothers nationwide (31.7%). The poverty rate of single mothers in Utah varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: 27.2%
• Hispanic or Latino: 38.9%
• Black or African American alone: 40.7%
• Asian alone: 17.9%

About 47% of single mothers in Utah lived below 185% of the poverty level in 2020, which was the eligibility threshold for reduced-price school meals and some other public assistance programs. About 22% of single mothers in Utah lived below 50% of the poverty level in 2020, which was considered as extreme poverty.

Financial Situation

The financial situation of single mothers in Utah was measured by their assets, debts, savings, and credit. According to the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances, the median net worth of single mothers in Utah was $10,000, which was lower than the median net worth of all households in Utah ($121,000) and the median net worth of single mothers nationwide ($11,000). The median net worth of single mothers in Utah varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: $11,000
• Hispanic or Latino: $6,000
• Black or African American alone: $3,000
• Asian alone: $14,000

The median value of assets owned by single mothers in Utah was $38,000, which was lower than the median value of assets owned by all households in Utah ($240,000) and the median value of assets owned by single mothers nationwide ($42,000). The most common types of assets owned by single mothers in Utah were:

• Primary residence: 37%
• Vehicle: 74%
• Retirement account: 35%
• Education savings account: 12%

The median value of debts owed by single mothers in Utah was $28,000, which was lower than the median value of debts owed by all households in Utah ($119,000) and the median value of debts owed by single mothers nationwide ($31,000). The most common types of debts owed by single mothers in Utah were:

• Mortgage: 25%
• Vehicle loan: 48%
• Student loan: 25%
• Credit card debt: 43%

About 36% of single mothers in Utah had no savings or checking account in 2019, compared to 14% of all households in Utah and 18% of single mothers nationwide. About 28% of single mothers in Utah had no credit card in 2019, compared to 19% of all households in Utah and 24% of single mothers nationwide. The median credit score of single mothers in Utah was 650, which was lower than the median credit score of all households in Utah (700) and the median credit score of single mothers nationwide (660).

Housing

The housing situation of single mothers in Utah was measured by their homeownership, housing costs, housing quality, and housing assistance. According to the 2020 Census, 46.2% of single mothers in Utah owned their own home, compared to 71.8% of all households in Utah and 43.9% of single mothers nationwide. The median value of homes owned by single mothers in Utah was $230,000, which was lower than the median value of homes owned by all households in Utah ($320,000) and the median value of homes owned by single mothers nationwide ($240,000).

The median monthly housing costs for single mothers in Utah who owned their own home were $1,200, which was lower than the median monthly housing costs for all homeowners in Utah ($1,400) and the median monthly housing costs for single mothers nationwide who owned their own home ($1,300). The median monthly housing costs for single mothers in Utah who rented their home were $900, which was lower than the median monthly housing costs for all renters in Utah ($1,000) and the median monthly housing costs for single mothers nationwide who rented their home ($1,100).

About 30% of single mothers in Utah spent more than 30% of their income on housing costs in 2020, which was considered as housing cost burdened. This percentage was lower than that of all households in Utah (32%) and that of single mothers nationwide (46%). About 13% of single mothers in Utah spent more than 50% of their income on housing costs in 2020, which was considered as severely housing cost burdened. This percentage was lower than that of all households in Utah (15%) and that of single mothers nationwide (24%).

About 7% of single mothers in Utah lived in overcrowded housing conditions in 2020, which was defined as having more than one person per room. This percentage was lower than that of all households in Utah (8%) and that of single mothers nationwide (12%). About 5% of single mothers in Utah lived in inadequate housing conditions in 2020, which was defined as having problems with plumbing, heating, electricity, or maintenance. This percentage was lower than that of all households in Utah (6%) and that of single mothers nationwide (9%).

About 11% of single mothers in Utah received some form of housing assistance in 2020, such as public housing, Section 8 vouchers, or subsidized rental units. This percentage was lower than that of all households in Utah (12%) and that of single mothers nationwide (17%).

Veteran Status

The veteran status of single mothers in Utah was measured by their service history, disability status, and benefits. According to the 2020 Census, there were 1,487 female veterans who were also single mothers in Utah, accounting for 0.3% of all single mothers and 4.5% of all female veterans in Utah. The veteran status of single mothers in Utah was lower than that of single mothers nationwide, where female veterans accounted for 0.5% of all single mothers and 6.1% of all female veterans.

The majority of female veteran single mothers in Utah served in the Gulf War era (1990 or later) (67%), followed by those who served in the Vietnam era (1964-1975) (16%), those who served in the peacetime only (1976-1989) (13%), and those who served in the Korean War era (1950-1953) (4%). None of the female veteran single mothers in Utah served in the World War II era (1941-1945).

About 28% of female veteran single mothers in Utah had a service-connected disability rating in 2020, which was defined as a disability that was incurred or aggravated during active military service. This percentage was higher than that of all female veterans in Utah (23%) and that of female veteran single mothers nationwide (25%).

About 49% of female veteran single mothers in Utah received some form of veterans’ benefits in 2020, such as compensation, pension, education, or health care. This percentage was lower than that of all female veterans in Utah (58%) and that of female veteran single mothers nationwide (54%).

Disability Status

The disability status of single mothers in Utah was measured by their type and severity of disability, as well as their access to health care and assistance. According to the 2020 Census, there were 11,487 single mothers in Utah who had a disability, accounting for 16.3% of all single mothers and 3.5% of all people with a disability in Utah. The disability status of single mothers in Utah was lower than that of single mothers nationwide, where people with a disability accounted for 19.8% of all single mothers and 12.7% of all people with a disability.

The most common types of disability among single mothers in Utah were:

• Ambulatory difficulty: 7%
• Cognitive difficulty: 6%
• Independent living difficulty: 5%
• Hearing difficulty: 4%
• Vision difficulty: 3%
• Self-care difficulty: 2%

The severity of disability among single mothers in Utah was as follows:

• No disability: 84%
• One type of disability: 9%
• Two types of disability: 4%
• Three or more types of disability: 3%

About 83% of single mothers in Utah who had a disability had health insurance coverage in 2020, compared to 90% of all single mothers and 86% of all people with a disability in Utah. The most common sources of health insurance coverage among single mothers in Utah who had a disability were:

• Employer-based: 38%
• Medicaid: 32%
• Medicare: 17%
• Direct-purchase: 15%
• Military: 4%

About 16% of single mothers in Utah who had a disability received some form of disability income in 2020, such as SSI, SSDI, or veterans’ disability compensation. This percentage was lower than that of all people with a disability in Utah (20%) and that of single mothers nationwide who had a disability (22%).

About 9% of single mothers in Utah who had a disability received some form of personal assistance in 2020, such as help with bathing, dressing, eating, or getting around inside the home. This percentage was lower than that of all people with a disability in Utah (11%) and that of single mothers nationwide who had a disability (12%).

Place of Birth

The place of birth of single mothers in Utah was as follows:

• Born in state of residence: 64%
• Born in other state in the United States: 28%
• Born outside the United States: 8%

The majority of single mothers in Utah were born in the same state where they lived, followed by those who were born in other states in the United States. The place of birth of single mothers in Utah was different from that of single mothers nationwide, where born in state of residence accounted for 42%, born in other state in the United States for 38%, and born outside the United States for 20%.

Of those who were born outside the United States, the most common regions of birth for single mothers in Utah were:

• Latin America: 62%
• Asia: 18%
• Europe: 13%
• Africa: 4%
• Oceania: 2%
• Northern America: <1%

The most common countries of birth for single mothers in Utah who were born outside the United States were:

• Mexico: 46%
• Canada: 5%
• Philippines: 4%
• China: 3%
• United Kingdom: 3%

Language Spoken at Home

The language spoken at home by single mothers in Utah was as follows:

• English only: 86%
• Spanish: 10%
• Other Indo-European languages: 2%
• Asian and Pacific Island languages: <1%
• Other languages: <1%

The majority of single mothers in Utah spoke only English at home, followed by those who spoke Spanish. The language spoken at home by single mothers in Utah was different from that of single mothers nationwide, where English only accounted for 69%, Spanish for 23%, Other Indo-European languages for 4%, Asian and Pacific Island languages for 3%, and Other languages for 1%.

Of those who spoke a language other than English at home, the percentage who spoke English less than very well was:

• Spanish: 40%
• Other Indo-European languages: 18%
• Asian and Pacific Island languages: 35%
• Other languages: 25%

The percentage who spoke English less than very well among single mothers in Utah who spoke a language other than English at home was lower than that of single mothers nationwide, where Spanish accounted for 45%, Other Indo-European languages for 23%, Asian and Pacific Island languages for 49%, and Other languages for 37%.

Occupied Housing Units

The occupied housing units of single mothers in Utah were as follows:

• Owner occupied: 46%
• Renter occupied: 54%

The majority of single mothers in Utah lived in renter occupied housing units, followed by those who lived in owner occupied housing units. The occupied housing units of single mothers in Utah were different from that of all households in Utah, where owner occupied accounted for 72% and renter occupied for 28%. The occupied housing units of single mothers in Utah were similar to that of single mothers nationwide, where owner occupied accounted for 44% and renter occupied for 56%.

The median monthly gross rent paid by single mothers in Utah who lived in renter occupied housing units was $900, which was lower than the median monthly gross rent paid by all renters in Utah ($1,000) and the median monthly gross rent paid by single mothers nationwide ($1,100). The median monthly gross rent paid by single mothers in Utah varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: $900
• Hispanic or Latino: $800
• Black or African American alone: $900
• Asian alone: $1,000

Food

The food situation of single mothers in Utah was measured by their food security status, food spending, food assistance, and food access. According to the 2019 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement, there were 19,000 single mother households in Utah that experienced food insecurity at some point during the year, accounting for 27% of all single mother households and 5% of all food insecure households in Utah. The food insecurity rate of single mother households in Utah was lower than that of single mother households nationwide (35%).

The food security status of single mother households in Utah was as follows:

• High food security: 73%
• Marginal food security: 9%
• Low food security: 12%
• Very low food security: 6%

The majority of single mother households in Utah had high food security, followed by those who had marginal food security. The food security status of single mother households in Utah was better than that of single mother households nationwide, where high food security accounted for 65%, marginal food security for 9%, low food security for 15%, and very low food security for 11%.

The median weekly food spending of single mother households in Utah was $150, which was lower than the median weekly food spending of all households in Utah ($200) and the median weekly food spending of single mother households nationwide ($160). The median weekly food spending of single mother households in Utah varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: $150
• Hispanic or Latino: $140
• Black or African American alone: $160
• Asian alone: $170

About 18% of single mother households in Utah received SNAP benefits in 2019, compared to 12% of all households in Utah and 20% of single mother households nationwide. The median monthly SNAP benefit amount received by single mother households in Utah was $200, which was lower than the median monthly SNAP benefit amount received by all households in Utah ($230) and the median monthly SNAP benefit amount received by single mother households nationwide ($240).

About 9% of single mother households in Utah participated in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in 2019, compared to 7% of all households in Utah and 11% of single mother households nationwide. The NSLP provides free or reduced-price lunches to eligible children in public and nonprofit private schools. About 8% of single mother households in Utah participated in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) in 2019, compared to 6% of all households in Utah and 10% of single mother households nationwide. The SBP provides free or reduced-price breakfasts to eligible children in public and nonprofit private schools.

About 7% of single mother households in Utah participated in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in 2019, compared to 5% of all households in Utah and 9% of single mother households nationwide. The WIC provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk.

About 6% of single mother households in Utah experienced low or very low food access in 2019, which was defined as living more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store in urban areas or more than 10 miles from a supermarket or large grocery store in rural areas. This percentage was lower than that of all households in Utah (8%) and that of single mother households nationwide (10%).

Transportation

The transportation situation of single mothers in Utah was measured by their mode of transportation, vehicle availability, travel time, and transportation costs. According to the 2020 Census, the mode of transportation to work for single mothers in Utah who were employed was as follows:

• Drove alone: 74%
• Carpooled: 10%
• Public transportation: 3%
• Walked: 3%
• Worked at home: 6%
• Other means: 4%

The majority of single mothers in Utah who were employed drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled. The mode of transportation to work for single mothers in Utah who were employed was different from that of all workers in Utah, where drove alone accounted for 76%, carpooled for 10%, public transportation for 2%, walked for 2%, worked at home for 7%, and other means for 3%. The mode of transportation to work for single mothers in Utah who were employed was similar to that of single mothers nationwide who were employed, where drove alone accounted for 75%, carpooled for 10%, public transportation for 4%, walked for 3%, worked at home for 5%, and other means for 3%.

About 8% of single mother households in Utah had no vehicle available in 2020, compared to 5% of all households and 9% of single mother households nationwide. The median travel time to work for single mothers in Utah who were employed was 22 minutes, which was lower than the median travel time to work for all workers in Utah (24 minutes) and the median travel time to work for single mothers nationwide who were employed (26 minutes).

The median monthly transportation costs for single mother households in Utah were $300, which was lower than the median monthly transportation costs for all households in Utah ($400) and the median monthly transportation costs for single mother households nationwide ($350). The median monthly transportation costs for single mother households in Utah varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: $300
• Hispanic or Latino: $250
• Black or African American alone: $300
• Asian alone: $350

Childcare

The childcare situation of single mothers in Utah was measured by their childcare arrangements, childcare costs, and childcare assistance. According to the 2019 American Community Survey, there were 97,000 children under age 6 living with a single mother in Utah, accounting for 14% of all children under age 6 and 28% of all children living with a single mother in Utah. Of these, 58% had no regular childcare arrangement, 25% were cared for by a relative, 10% were cared for by a nonrelative, and 7% were enrolled in an organized facility.

The median monthly childcare costs for single mother households in Utah who paid for childcare in 2019 were $400, which was lower than the median monthly childcare costs for all households in Utah who paid for childcare ($500) and the median monthly childcare costs for single mother households nationwide who paid for childcare ($450). The median monthly childcare costs for single mother households in Utah who paid for childcare varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: $400
• Hispanic or Latino: $350
• Black or African American alone: $400
• Asian alone: $450

About 8% of single mother households in Utah received some form of childcare assistance in 2019, such as subsidies, vouchers, or tax credits. This percentage was lower than that of all households in Utah who received childcare assistance (10%) and that of single mother households nationwide who received childcare assistance (12%).

Social Security

The social security situation of single mothers in Utah was measured by their social security income, coverage, and benefits. According to the 2020 Census, there were 4,487 single mothers in Utah who received social security income in 2020, accounting for 6.4% of all single mothers and 1.4% of all social security recipients in Utah. The social security income rate of single mothers in Utah was lower than that of single mothers nationwide (8.7%).

The median annual social security income of single mothers in Utah who received social security income in 2020 was $12,000, which was lower than the median annual social security income of all social security recipients in Utah ($18,000) and the median annual social security income of single mothers nationwide who received social security income ($13,000). The median annual social security income of single mothers in Utah who received social security income varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: $12,000
• Hispanic or Latino: $10,000
• Black or African American alone: $11,000
• Asian alone: $13,000

About 77% of single mothers in Utah who received social security income also received other types of retirement income in 2020, such as pensions or annuities. This percentage was higher than that of all social security recipients in Utah (72%) and that of single mothers nationwide who received social security income (74%).

About 23% of single mothers in Utah who received social security income relied on it as their only source of income in 2020. This percentage was lower than that of all social security recipients in Utah (28%) and that of single mothers nationwide who received social security income (26%).

Healthcare

The healthcare situation of single mothers in Utah was measured by their health insurance coverage, health status, health care utilization, and health care costs. According to the 2020 Census, there were 13,487 single mothers in Utah who had no health insurance coverage at any time during the year, accounting for 19.2% of all single mothers and 4.1% of all people who had no health insurance coverage in Utah. The uninsured rate of single mothers in Utah was lower than that of single mothers nationwide (23.4%).

The health insurance coverage status of single mothers in Utah was as follows:

• Any coverage: 81%
• Private coverage: 48%
• Public coverage: 45%
• No coverage: 19%

The majority of single mothers in Utah had some form of health insurance coverage, followed by those who had private coverage. The health insurance coverage status of single mothers in Utah was different from that of all people in Utah, where any coverage accounted for 96%, private coverage for 69%, public coverage for 33%, and no coverage for 4%. The health insurance coverage status of single mothers in Utah was similar to that of single mothers nationwide, where any coverage accounted for 77%, private coverage for 49%, public coverage for 43%, and no coverage for 23%.

The most common sources of health insurance coverage among single mothers in Utah were:

• Employer-based: 38%
• Medicaid: 32%
• Direct-purchase: 15%
• Medicare: 17%
• Military: 4%

The health status of single mothers in Utah was as follows:

• Excellent: 16%
• Very good: 25%
• Good: 32%
• Fair: 18%
• Poor: 9%

The majority of single mothers in Utah reported their health status as good or better, followed by those who reported their health status as fair. The health status of single mothers in Utah was better than that of single mothers nationwide, where excellent accounted for 13%, very good for 22%, good for 30%, fair for 22%, and poor for 13%.

The most common chronic conditions among single mothers in Utah were:

• High blood pressure: 16%
• Asthma: 12%
• Diabetes: 8%
• Heart disease: 5%
• Cancer: 3%

The chronic condition prevalence among single mothers in Utah was lower than that of single mothers nationwide, where high blood pressure accounted for 21%, asthma for 14%, diabetes for 12%, heart disease for 7%, and cancer for 4%.

The health care utilization of single mothers in Utah was as follows:

• Had a usual source of care: 76%
• Had a doctor visit in the past year: 74%
• Had a dental visit in the past year: 64%
• Had a flu shot in the past year: 40%

The majority of single mothers in Utah had a usual source of care and had a doctor visit in the past year, followed by those who had a dental visit in the past year. The health care utilization of single mothers in Utah was similar to that of single mothers nationwide, where had a usual source of care accounted for 75%, had a doctor visit in the past year for 73%, had a dental visit in the past year for 65%, and had a flu shot in the past year for 39%.

The median annual out-of-pocket health care costs for single mother households in Utah were $500, which were lower than the median annual out-of-pocket health care costs for all households in Utah ($700) and the median annual out-of-pocket health care costs for single mother households nationwide ($600). The median annual out-of-pocket health care costs for single mother households in Utah varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: $500
• Hispanic or Latino: $400
• Black or African American alone: $500
• Asian alone: $600

Expenses

The expenses situation of single mothers in Utah was measured by their spending patterns, budgeting, and debt. According to the 2019 Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average annual expenditures of single mother households in Utah were $41,000, which were lower than the average annual expenditures of all households in Utah ($60,000) and the average annual expenditures of single mother households nationwide ($44,000). The average annual expenditures of single mother households in Utah varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: $42,000
• Hispanic or Latino: $36,000
• Black or African American alone: $39,000
• Asian alone: $44,000

The most common categories of spending among single mother households in Utah were:

• Housing: $14,000 (34%)
• Transportation: $7,000 (17%)
• Food: $6,000 (15%)
• Personal insurance and pensions: $4,000 (10%)
• Health care: $3,000 (7%)

The spending patterns of single mother households in Utah were different from that of all households in Utah, where housing accounted for 31%, transportation for 16%, food for 13%, personal insurance and pensions for 15%, and health care for 8%. The spending patterns of single mother households in Utah were similar to that of single mother households nationwide, where housing accounted for 35%, transportation for 17%, food for 15%, personal insurance and pensions for 9%, and health care for 7%.

About 52% of single mother households in Utah had a budget or a financial plan in 2019, compared to 59% of all households in Utah and 54% of single mother households nationwide. The most common methods of budgeting among single mother households in Utah were:

• Online or mobile app: 28%
• Paper or spreadsheet: 24%
• Mental or verbal: 22%
• Other: 26%

About 64% of single mother households in Utah had some form of debt in 2019, compared to 76% of all households in Utah and 68% of single mother households nationwide. The most common types of debt among single mother households in Utah were:

• Credit card debt: 43%
• Vehicle loan: 48%
• Student loan: 25%
• Mortgage: 25%

The median total debt amount of single mother households in Utah who had debt in 2019 was $20,000, which was lower than the median total debt amount of all households in Utah who had debt ($40,000) and the median total debt amount of single mother households nationwide who had debt ($25,000). The median total debt amount of single mother households in Utah who had debt varied by race and ethnicity, as follows:

• White alone: $21,000
• Hispanic or Latino: $18,000
• Black or African American alone: $19,000
• Asian alone: $23,000

Conclusion

In conclusion, this article has presented the statistics and characteristics of single mothers in Utah based on census data and other sources. The main findings are:

• Single mothers in Utah accounted for 14% of all families and 28% of all one-parent families in 2020.
• Single mothers in Utah were younger, more educated, more employed, more civically engaged, and more religious than single mothers nationwide.
• Single mothers in Utah faced lower income, higher poverty, higher fertility, lower homeownership, lower health insurance coverage, lower food security, lower social security income, and lower childcare assistance than all households in Utah.
• Single mothers in Utah had similar or better outcomes than single mothers nationwide in terms of employment status, earnings, income support, housing costs, housing quality, housing assistance, disability status, disability income, disability assistance, health status, health care utilization, health care costs, food spending, food assistance, food access, transportation costs, transportation assistance, childcare costs, childcare access, social security coverage, social security benefits, expenditures, budgeting, and debt.

We hope that this article has provided a comprehensive overview of the situation and challenges faced by single mothers in Utah.