A new study has ranked the best and worst places in the U.S. for single mothers, finding that several major California cities are among the most difficult places to raise a family on one income.
The study examined all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and major metropolitan areas across the country, focusing on the financial and quality-of-life challenges faced by single mothers.
Researchers said the goal was to identify where single mothers are more likely to be able to afford basic expenses, secure childcare, feel safe and build long-term financial stability.
“We compared all 50 states and DC, along with the country’s major metro areas, to highlight where a single mom can pay the bills, find care, feel safe, and plan ahead, and where the math still does not work,” the study said.
The rankings considered a wide range of factors that affect parents attempting to support children with only one income.
Housing and childcare costs were major components of the analysis, but researchers also considered transportation expenses, grocery prices, unemployment, crime rates, health care access and education.
The study reportedly incorporated information from Child Care Aware, FBI crime statistics, USDA food-cost data and federal information related to transportation and health care.
California stood out at the bottom of the metropolitan-area rankings.
Six of the eight lowest-ranked cities were located in the Golden State, according to the study.
Fresno and the San Francisco Bay Area were among the lowest-ranked places for single mothers, followed closely by San Jose and Los Angeles.
Cities in Nevada, New Mexico and Florida also appeared among the bottom 10, showing that the challenges identified in the study were not limited exclusively to California.
For single mothers living in California, housing and childcare expenses were among the biggest financial obstacles cited.
The state’s median home value is approximately $764,000, while typical rents can range from roughly $2,180 to more than $2,700 per month depending on the type of property, according to figures cited by the Daily Mail from Zillow.
Childcare can add another significant monthly expense.
Full-time childcare in California can reportedly cost between roughly $1,200 and more than $2,800 per month, depending on a child’s age, location and the type of care being provided.
Those expenses can place substantial pressure on a household relying on a single paycheck, particularly when combined with food, transportation, health care and other necessities.
While several cities in Democratic-leaning states ranked near the bottom, some cities in those states also performed well.
Worcester, Massachusetts, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Omaha, Nebraska, Hartford, Connecticut, and Albany, New York, were listed among the metropolitan areas offering the strongest overall conditions for single mothers.
Those cities benefited from combinations of lower or more manageable housing costs, stronger schools, better childcare availability and healthier employment conditions, according to the study, per the Daily Mail.
At the state level, Vermont and the Dakotas were among the areas that performed particularly well.
The researchers emphasized that affordability alone does not determine whether a city is a good place for a single mother to live.
“The best places for single moms to live aren’t just affordable,” the study said. “They’re supportive, with safe blocks, steady jobs, dependable child care, and schools that open doors.”
The study also encouraged single mothers to consider the importance of personal support networks when deciding where to live.
Researchers noted that having grandparents, siblings, friends or community organizations nearby can significantly change the practical realities of raising children alone.
“When choosing where to live, weigh the power of your own village,” the study said, pointing to relatives who can help with school pickup, friends who can share childcare responsibilities and community or faith groups that can provide support.
The researchers added that a city with somewhat higher costs may still be a better option if it places a parent closer to a dependable support system.
“A city that costs a little more but puts you closer to trusted people may beat a cheaper zip code that leaves you on an island,” the study concluded.
The findings suggest that the challenges facing single mothers vary considerably across the country, with housing, childcare, jobs, safety and access to support all playing major roles in determining whether a city is financially manageable for a one-income household.
