Children and Youth
Single-Parent Families

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Single-Parent Families

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What does this measure?

The estimated number of single-parent families with children under 18, as a percent of all families with children under 18.

Why is this important?

Single-parent families may experience more stress and economic strain than dual-parent households with two incomes. Children in these families can be at risk of poorer health and educational outcomes. However, children may also have opportunities to build resilience and experience a larger community through the support of extended family and friends.

How is the region performing?

In 2017-21, 29% of families in the Mid-Hudson Valley region were single-parent families, below both the state rate of 31% (excluding New York City) and the national rate of 34%. The proportion of single-parent families in the region increased 5 percentage points from 2000 to 2012-16, then remained unchanged from 2012-16 to 2017-21. This was similar to state and national trends. In 2017-21, Sullivan (40%), Ulster (38%) and Columbia (37%) counties had the highest proportion of single-parent families, while Putnam had the lowest by far (20%).

Among local cities, there were relatively high proportions of single-parent families in Poughkeepsie and Newburgh (61% and 58% respectively) and Kingston (48%). Populations for most other local areas of the Mid-Hudson Valley were too small to yield reliable survey results.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are expected to be released in the fourth quarter.

Single-Parent Families
20002007-112012-162017-21
Region24%28%29%29%
Columbia27%31%38%37%
Dutchess23%27%28%28%
Greene30%36%31%26%*
Orange24%26%26%26%
Putnam14%17%19%20%
Sullivan33%38%39%40%
Ulster29%32%33%38%
NYS (excluding NYC)26%30%32%31%
U.S.29%34%35%34%
Columbia Cities
Hudson city, Columbia County57%53%*71%*54%**
Columbia Towns
Ancram town, Columbia County18%48%**31%***18%***
Austerlitz town, Columbia County18%26%***22%***7%***
Canaan town, Columbia County18%18%***44%***31%***
Chatham town, Columbia County22%18%***17%***36%***
Claverack town, Columbia County23%27%***44%**43%***
Clermont town, Columbia County32%33%***23%**39%**
Copake town, Columbia County25%21%***23%***38%***
Gallatin town, Columbia County19%24%***31%***16%***
Germantown town, Columbia County22%33%***22%***22%***
Ghent town, Columbia County22%17%***30%***29%***
Greenport town, Columbia County32%52%***52%**38%***
Hillsdale town, Columbia County28%23%***17%***49%***
Kinderhook town, Columbia County19%23%***29%**34%*
Livingston town, Columbia County21%35%***43%**31%***
New Lebanon town, Columbia County31%41%***50%**17%***
Stockport town, Columbia County31%23%***44%**46%**
Stuyvesant town, Columbia County20%34%***34%***50%***
Taghkanic town, Columbia County33%30%***40%***24%***
Columbia Villages
Chatham village, Columbia County29%32%***33%***54%***
Kinderhook village, Columbia County21%3%***30%***21%***
Philmont village, Columbia County35%37%***53%***69%***
Valatie village, Columbia County29%46%***41%***36%***
Dutchess Cities
Beacon city, Dutchess County38%43%*52%*38%*
Poughkeepsie city, Dutchess County57%61%57%61%*
Dutchess Towns
Amenia town, Dutchess County23%28%***51%**35%***
Beekman town, Dutchess County12%12%**15%**21%**
Clinton town, Dutchess County14%24%***21%***18%***
Dover town, Dutchess County21%26%**35%**36%**
East Fishkill town, Dutchess County9%13%*14%*11%**
Fishkill town, Dutchess County19%20%**32%*26%*
Hyde Park town, Dutchess County21%27%*28%*32%*
La Grange town, Dutchess County11%10%**14%**13%**
Milan town, Dutchess County15%15%***17%***47%**
North East town, Dutchess County31%46%***38%***31%***
Pawling town, Dutchess County15%24%**22%**24%**
Pine Plains town, Dutchess County23%24%***20%***31%***
Pleasant Valley town, Dutchess County20%21%**25%**19%**
Poughkeepsie town, Dutchess County21%25%*26%*25%*
Red Hook town, Dutchess County22%20%**28%*29%**
Rhinebeck town, Dutchess County23%16%***18%***22%***
Stanford town, Dutchess County17%29%***20%***39%***
Union Vale town, Dutchess County6%12%***19%***9%***
Wappinger town, Dutchess County21%27%*24%*24%*
Washington town, Dutchess County18%31%**28%***29%**
Dutchess Villages
Fishkill village, Dutchess County22%22%***43%**53%***
Millbrook village, Dutchess County20%42%***38%***40%***
Millerton village, Dutchess County39%40%***17%***45%***
Pawling village, Dutchess County24%21%***39%***38%***
Red Hook village, Dutchess County32%35%***32%***46%***
Rhinebeck village, Dutchess County31%26%***30%***57%***
Tivoli village, Dutchess County26%34%***36%***19%***
Wappingers Falls village, Dutchess County48%37%***33%***34%***
Greene Towns
Ashland town, Greene County21%21%***15%***21%***
Athens town, Greene County26%33%**35%**23%***
Cairo town, Greene County32%39%***32%**42%**
Catskill town, Greene County39%47%*43%*18%***
Coxsackie town, Greene County30%42%***26%**35%***
Durham town, Greene County26%23%***33%***41%***
Greenville town, Greene County22%16%***20%***15%***
Halcott town, Greene County10%3%***0%***12%***
Hunter town, Greene County35%41%***14%***18%***
Jewett town, Greene County18%30%***14%***68%***
Lexington town, Greene County23%9%***44%***13%***
New Baltimore town, Greene County20%20%***23%***13%***
Prattsville town, Greene County29%43%***42%***25%***
Windham town, Greene County26%21%***20%***12%***
Greene Villages
Athens village, Greene County35%42%***46%**50%***
Catskill village, Greene County56%62%**66%**28%***
Coxsackie village, Greene County36%47%***32%***35%***
Hunter village, Greene County34%83%***0%***27%***
Tannersville village, Greene County43%42%***26%***23%***
Orange Cities
Middletown city, Orange County43%45%40%*38%*
Newburgh city, Orange County52%49%59%58%
Port Jervis city, Orange County48%53%*32%*37%**
Orange Towns
Blooming Grove town, Orange County18%20%*14%*18%*
Chester town, Orange County14%17%***18%**20%***
Cornwall town, Orange County18%25%**24%*28%*
Crawford town, Orange County14%20%***24%**22%**
Deerpark town, Orange County23%37%**28%**33%***
Goshen town, Orange County16%30%*12%**19%**
Greenville town, Orange County12%23%***22%***5%***
Hamptonburgh town, Orange County8%7%***10%***16%***
Highlands town, Orange County19%26%**8%***15%***
Minisink town, Orange County17%19%***29%**33%***
Monroe town, Orange County10%11%*9%*23%*
Montgomery town, Orange County27%22%*30%*32%*
Mount Hope town, Orange County18%26%***28%**19%***
New Windsor town, Orange County21%23%*23%*22%*
Newburgh town, Orange County22%26%*30%*28%*
Tuxedo town, Orange County17%14%***16%***16%***
Wallkill town, Orange County28%33%31%*33%*
Warwick town, Orange County15%19%*20%*17%*
Wawayanda town, Orange County24%22%***23%**39%*
Woodbury town, Orange County14%10%***16%**20%***
Orange Villages
Chester village, Orange County26%20%***33%**19%***
Cornwall-on-Hudson village, Orange County20%29%***18%***28%***
Florida village, Orange County18%34%***10%***24%***
Goshen village, Orange County25%34%***15%***25%***
Greenwood Lake village, Orange County21%29%***12%***24%***
Harriman village, Orange County31%26%***31%***33%***
Highland Falls village, Orange County38%45%***15%***25%***
Kiryas Joel village, Orange County4%6%***1%***2%***
Maybrook village, Orange County24%38%***37%**55%**
Monroe village, Orange County14%16%***27%**17%**
Montgomery village, Orange County27%13%***24%***26%***
Otisville village, Orange County36%19%***34%***26%***
South Blooming Grove village, Orange County8%***25%**19%***
Tuxedo Park village, Orange County18%13%***15%***7%***
Unionville village, Orange County34%24%***26%***45%***
Walden village, Orange County38%32%**36%**41%**
Warwick village, Orange County22%36%***29%**25%***
Washingtonville village, Orange County22%25%***23%**30%**
Woodbury village, Orange County9%***16%**20%***
Putnam Towns
Carmel town, Putnam County12%17%*12%*18%*
Kent town, Putnam County16%17%***24%*12%**
Patterson town, Putnam County15%16%***24%**25%**
Philipstown town, Putnam County13%15%***20%**23%**
Putnam Valley town, Putnam County16%19%**16%**29%**
Southeast town, Putnam County14%15%**25%*21%**
Putnam Villages
Brewster village, Putnam County36%20%***41%***29%***
Cold Spring village, Putnam County19%9%***21%***40%***
Nelsonville village, Putnam County10%11%***14%***41%***
Sullivan Towns
Bethel town, Sullivan County35%39%***27%***54%***
Callicoon town, Sullivan County24%27%***47%**37%***
Cochecton town, Sullivan County30%34%***47%***32%***
Delaware town, Sullivan County24%15%***26%***22%***
Fallsburg town, Sullivan County38%47%*49%*46%*
Forestburgh town, Sullivan County7%21%***18%***43%***
Fremont town, Sullivan County17%38%***18%***28%***
Highland town, Sullivan County29%37%***53%***30%***
Liberty town, Sullivan County42%47%*40%**41%**
Lumberland town, Sullivan County20%23%***15%***24%***
Mamakating town, Sullivan County21%31%*25%*28%**
Neversink town, Sullivan County13%25%***29%***26%***
Rockland town, Sullivan County36%44%**32%**27%***
Thompson town, Sullivan County48%43%*54%*52%*
Tusten town, Sullivan County31%30%***57%***48%***
Sullivan Villages
Bloomingburg school district, Sullivan County38%53%***38%***0%***
Jeffersonville school district, Sullivan County19%35%***21%***26%***
Liberty school district, Sullivan County46%64%**58%**46%**
Monticello school district, Sullivan County66%52%**68%**61%**
Woodridge school district, Sullivan County45%34%***36%***28%***
Wurtsboro school district, Sullivan County38%43%***61%***46%***
Ulster Cities
Kingston city, Ulster County44%46%49%51%*
Ulster Towns
Denning town, Ulster County9%28%***8%***32%***
Esopus town, Ulster County23%15%***29%***41%**
Gardiner town, Ulster County22%17%***14%***20%***
Hardenburgh town, Ulster County12%0%***35%***0%***
Hurley town, Ulster County22%38%***28%***29%**
Kingston town, Ulster County32%37%***45%***48%***
Lloyd town, Ulster County23%42%**29%**27%***
Marbletown town, Ulster County20%21%***10%***37%***
Marlborough town, Ulster County22%27%**40%*33%**
New Paltz town, Ulster County30%26%**31%*41%*
Olive town, Ulster County24%34%***19%***36%***
Plattekill town, Ulster County30%36%*42%**36%**
Rochester town, Ulster County26%41%**39%**38%***
Rosendale town, Ulster County32%25%***39%**46%**
Saugerties town, Ulster County27%31%*31%*34%*
Shandaken town, Ulster County35%23%***25%***17%***
Shawangunk town, Ulster County16%19%**17%***30%**
Ulster town, Ulster County29%29%**42%*44%*
Wawarsing town, Ulster County36%43%*41%*41%*
Woodstock town, Ulster County30%27%***24%***37%***
Ulster Villages
Ellenville village, Ulster County47%51%**32%***42%***
New Paltz village, Ulster County33%42%***26%***58%***
Saugerties village, Ulster County46%38%***33%**27%***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number of Single-Parent Families
20002007-112012-162017-21
Region35,41338,77635,67635,747
Columbia2,1432,1882,4462,144
Dutchess8,4799,6459,0918,491
Greene1,7271,7831,2461,002*
Orange11,64412,66511,71611,939
Putnam1,8882,2562,1192,280
Sullivan3,1003,4793,1683,227
Ulster6,4326,7605,8906,664
NYS (excluding NYC)375,146412,940401,499385,816
U.S.11,101,75512,828,96812,917,96012,723,407
Columbia Cities
Hudson city, Columbia County511437*620*347**
Columbia Towns
Ancram town, Columbia County3263**36***17***
Austerlitz town, Columbia County2833***30***7***
Canaan town, Columbia County3024***70***44***
Chatham town, Columbia County11483***72***160***
Claverack town, Columbia County181151***223**296***
Clermont town, Columbia County7792***62**76**
Copake town, Columbia County9474***96***79***
Gallatin town, Columbia County3744***53***22***
Germantown town, Columbia County5269***40***27***
Ghent town, Columbia County148111***148***148***
Greenport town, Columbia County154232***174**173***
Hillsdale town, Columbia County5862***24***69***
Kinderhook town, Columbia County213243***276**282*
Livingston town, Columbia County83140***173**59***
New Lebanon town, Columbia County98129***93**32***
Stockport town, Columbia County12868***132**128**
Stuyvesant town, Columbia County63102***86***158***
Taghkanic town, Columbia County4231***38***20***
Columbia Villages
Chatham village, Columbia County6674***45***87***
Kinderhook village, Columbia County325***40***30***
Philmont village, Columbia County7161***97***91***
Valatie village, Columbia County6997***64***67***
Dutchess Cities
Beacon city, Dutchess County710807*753*591*
Poughkeepsie city, Dutchess County2,2402,5011,9742,085*
Dutchess Towns
Amenia town, Dutchess County118187***228**150***
Beekman town, Dutchess County221218**257**298**
Clinton town, Dutchess County80134***104***69***
Dover town, Dutchess County269286**360**297**
East Fishkill town, Dutchess County355538*518*393**
Fishkill town, Dutchess County378474**745*513*
Hyde Park town, Dutchess County594640*540*646*
La Grange town, Dutchess County240205**299**248**
Milan town, Dutchess County5246***41***103**
North East town, Dutchess County108137***106***90***
Pawling town, Dutchess County150243**214**223**
Pine Plains town, Dutchess County8167***60***52***
Pleasant Valley town, Dutchess County273262**265**208**
Poughkeepsie town, Dutchess County1,1211,195*1,183*1,179*
Red Hook town, Dutchess County306259**334*273**
Rhinebeck town, Dutchess County189119***118***141***
Stanford town, Dutchess County81113***67***123***
Union Vale town, Dutchess County4065***92***47***
Wappinger town, Dutchess County773979*722*650*
Washington town, Dutchess County100170**111***112**
Dutchess Villages
Fishkill village, Dutchess County3459***117**105***
Millbrook village, Dutchess County3075***53***35***
Millerton village, Dutchess County4434***11***45***
Pawling village, Dutchess County6754***88***95***
Red Hook village, Dutchess County7985***57***101***
Rhinebeck village, Dutchess County8682***67***101***
Tivoli village, Dutchess County3536***27***10***
Wappingers Falls village, Dutchess County317267***183***209***
Greene Towns
Ashland town, Greene County2011***8***8***
Athens town, Greene County128124**122**63***
Cairo town, Greene County279245***189**259**
Catskill town, Greene County589655*462*160***
Coxsackie town, Greene County251325***174**212***
Durham town, Greene County8360***84***115***
Greenville town, Greene County9074***74***48***
Halcott town, Greene County21***0***5***
Hunter town, Greene County82134***19***45***
Jewett town, Greene County2128***4***17***
Lexington town, Greene County196***24***3***
New Baltimore town, Greene County8667***53***41***
Prattsville town, Greene County2524***15***13***
Windham town, Greene County5229***18***13***
Greene Villages
Athens village, Greene County7266***45**63***
Catskill village, Greene County326368**260**77***
Coxsackie village, Greene County143187***93***111***
Hunter village, Greene County1434***0***4***
Tannersville village, Greene County1919***19***19***
Orange Cities
Middletown city, Orange County1,4931,5751,340*1,319*
Newburgh city, Orange County2,1861,9772,3572,064
Port Jervis city, Orange County611637*283*386**
Orange Towns
Blooming Grove town, Orange County504509*294*354*
Chester town, Orange County247283***258**261***
Cornwall town, Orange County340442**400*404*
Crawford town, Orange County162243***263**240**
Deerpark town, Orange County252341**218**250***
Goshen town, Orange County255469*169**249**
Greenville town, Orange County72135***138***30***
Hamptonburgh town, Orange County5652***65***99***
Highlands town, Orange County264282**99***185***
Minisink town, Orange County96139***216**201***
Monroe town, Orange County463629*535*676*
Montgomery town, Orange County832696*892*928*
Mount Hope town, Orange County118208***150**112***
New Windsor town, Orange County699736*734*745*
Newburgh town, Orange County849980*1,078*991*
Tuxedo town, Orange County7464***67***64***
Wallkill town, Orange County9891,1331,040*1,110*
Warwick town, Orange County635750*674*544*
Wawayanda town, Orange County225227***205**311*
Woodbury town, Orange County222158***241**296***
Orange Villages
Chester village, Orange County119108***156**86***
Cornwall-on-Hudson village, Orange County84113***68***98***
Florida village, Orange County62107***33***80***
Goshen village, Orange County165226***87***154***
Greenwood Lake village, Orange County100111***35***69***
Harriman village, Orange County10487***112***133***
Highland Falls village, Orange County175243***56***94***
Kiryas Joel village, Orange County79170***36***120***
Maybrook village, Orange County122155***107**182**
Monroe village, Orange County174199***275**214**
Montgomery village, Orange County15978***141***114***
Otisville village, Orange County5532***43***55***
South Blooming Grove village, Orange County38***91**76***
Tuxedo Park village, Orange County179***11***4***
Unionville village, Orange County2714***24***36***
Walden village, Orange County357323**330**417**
Warwick village, Orange County198282***203**161***
Washingtonville village, Orange County220179***160**177**
Woodbury village, Orange County139***228**279***
Putnam Towns
Carmel town, Putnam County570804*465*610*
Kent town, Putnam County299320***368*183**
Patterson town, Putnam County251223***347**329**
Philipstown town, Putnam County158194***199**252**
Putnam Valley town, Putnam County265334**206**438**
Southeast town, Putnam County345381**534*468**
Putnam Villages
Brewster village, Putnam County8180***113***106***
Cold Spring village, Putnam County4518***37***100***
Nelsonville village, Putnam County714***15***41***
Sullivan Towns
Bethel town, Sullivan County156171***84***194***
Callicoon town, Sullivan County8789***180**93***
Cochecton town, Sullivan County4852***65***41***
Delaware town, Sullivan County7228***67***37***
Fallsburg town, Sullivan County566662*569*575*
Forestburgh town, Sullivan County918***15***21***
Fremont town, Sullivan County3358***28***24***
Highland town, Sullivan County8485***130***39***
Liberty town, Sullivan County535575*387**544**
Lumberland town, Sullivan County5685***38***63***
Mamakating town, Sullivan County326492*366*438**
Neversink town, Sullivan County61118***132***95***
Rockland town, Sullivan County185205**149**94***
Thompson town, Sullivan County831797*907*882*
Tusten town, Sullivan County5144***51***87***
Sullivan Villages
Bloomingburg school district, Sullivan County1817***21***0***
Jeffersonville school district, Sullivan County97***3***14***
Liberty school district, Sullivan County277333**242**356**
Monticello school district, Sullivan County568430**562**567**
Woodridge school district, Sullivan County6422***31***19***
Wurtsboro school district, Sullivan County8259***62***66***
Ulster Cities
Kingston city, Ulster County1,2921,2501,2131,395*
Ulster Towns
Denning town, Ulster County416***5***11***
Esopus town, Ulster County237165***229***255**
Gardiner town, Ulster County178118***86***78***
Hardenburgh town, Ulster County20***6***0***
Hurley town, Ulster County189228***168***174**
Kingston town, Ulster County3556***47***37***
Lloyd town, Ulster County293590**338**312***
Marbletown town, Ulster County152135***63***192***
Marlborough town, Ulster County259342**405*273**
New Paltz town, Ulster County379290**338*458*
Olive town, Ulster County142187***72***156***
Plattekill town, Ulster County420559*427**403**
Rochester town, Ulster County271366**277**357***
Rosendale town, Ulster County264166***225**229**
Saugerties town, Ulster County691716*645*654*
Shandaken town, Ulster County14148***47***28***
Shawangunk town, Ulster County245279**208***425**
Ulster town, Ulster County460418**468*542*
Wawarsing town, Ulster County572679*515*498*
Woodstock town, Ulster County206152***108***187***
Ulster Villages
Ellenville village, Ulster County287316**169***247***
New Paltz village, Ulster County9091***73***193***
Saugerties village, Ulster County268158***153**101***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




INDICATORS TREND | STATE
Children Living in Poverty Increasing
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Rate of Child Abuse and Neglect Decreasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Decreasing
Teen Pregnancy Decreasing
Live Births to Teen Mothers Decreasing
Juvenile Delinquency Intakes Decreasing
Bullying at School Decreasing
Average Charitable Giving Increasing
Voter Registration Rate Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Total Population Increasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Types Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Spending for County Government Increasing
Tourism Revenue Increasing
Preschoolers Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Prekindergarten Participation Decreasing
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Per-Student Spending Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Economic Background Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Economic Background Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
High School Cohort Dropout Rate Decreasing
High School GED Rate Decreasing
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Seniors Living in Poverty Maintaining
Veterans Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care Decreasing
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Earned Income Tax Credit Participation Decreasing
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Deaths from Drug Overdoses Increasing
Living Wage Rate by Household Type Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Income in Relation to Poverty Level Not Applicable
Babies with Low Birth Weights Increasing
People Living wth HIV Increasing
Mental Health Clinic Visits Decreasing
Homeownership Rates Increasing
Homeless Persons Decreasing
Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Cost of Renting Not Applicable
Violent Crimes Decreasing
Domestic Violence Decreasing


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