Almost Half Of American Families Include Mothers As Primary Source Of Family Income, Study Shows

In the United States, 40 percent of all households with children below the age of 18 have mothers who are either the sole or primary source of income for the family, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. In 1960, it was just 11 percent. Breadwinner moms are made up of 5.1 million married mothers, who out-earn their husbands and account for 37 percent of the group, and 8.6 million single mothers who account for 63 percent. Results of the data analysis also revealed a huge income gap between the two mother groups — the median total family income of married mothers who earn more than their husbands was almost $80,000 in 2011, which is much higher than the national median income of $57,100 for families with children. In contrast, single mothers' families had a median income of $23,000.