Research ArticleIII. Lessons from COVID-Era Policies
Open Access

Making Ends Meet Thirty Years Later: How Single Mothers Survive on Low Incomes

Natasha V. Pilkauskas, Kevin Bruey
RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences May 2026, 12 (2) 57-82; DOI: https://doi.org/10.7758/RSF.2026.12.2.03

Article Figures & Data

Figures

  • Figure 1.
    Figure 1.

    Employment Status and Earnings

    Source: Providers study, April 2022 through March 2023.

    Note: N = 7,186. Sample is restricted to unpartnered female respondents in households with at least one child under the age of eighteen. Mean (standard deviation) monthly earnings is calculated among employed mothers, N = 3,154.

  • Figure 2.
    Figure 2.

    Public Safety Net

    Source: Providers study, April 2022 through March 2023.

    Note: Sample is restricted to unpartnered female respondents in households with at least one child under the age of eighteen. N = 7,186 (all); 3,154 (employed); and 4,032 (not employed).

  • Figure 3.
    Figure 3.

    Use of Private and Charitable Resources

    Source: Providers study, April 2022 through March 2023.

    Note: Sample is restricted to unpartnered female respondents in households with at least one child under the age of eighteen (N = 7,186). Sample for plasma question is smaller as this question was not included until May 2022 (N = 6,438 all; 2,823 employed; and 3,615 not employed).

  • Figure 4.
    Figure 4.

    Prevalence and Amount of Debt

    Source: Providers study, April 2022 through March 2023.

    Note: Sample is restricted to unpartnered female respondents in households with at least one child under the age of eighteen. Rent debt is calculated among renters (75 percent of the sample), and the share with rent debt is among those with that debt (55 percent). Mortgage debt is calculated among those with a mortgage (5 percent of the sample), and credit card debt is calculated among those with a credit card (56 percent of the sample).

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Making Ends Meet Thirty Years Later: How Single Mothers Survive on Low Incomes
Natasha V. Pilkauskas, Kevin Bruey
RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences May 2026, 12 (2) 57-82; DOI: 10.7758/RSF.2026.12.2.03
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