Single Working Women in America

If you are a single working woman, this week is all about you. It’s a celebration of the courage and creativity of single women in the workplace. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 74.6 million women in the labor force, and just over half of them (54 percent) are single. That’s a lot of single working women making a major contribution to the economy every day.

Many young adults are choosing to stay single longer. Only half of Americans ages 18 and older were married in 2017, a drop of 8 percent since 1990. Single motherhood has grown so common in America that today 80 percent of single-parent families are headed by single mothers. One out of every five children in America lives with a single mom – a 300 percent increase since 1960.

One of the factors making it more attractive for single women to work is changes in corporate policy, such as extended maternity leave and return-to-work programs. However, single women are the least likely demographic to have a financial plan in place.  

Even though being single may now be a common choice, single working women still face a lot of criticism and questions, both in and outside of their workplaces. The stereotypes still exist, and colleagues, friends, and family often ask questions about this choice.

Women are also making strides as entrepreneurs. 12.3 million businesses, accounting for $1.4 trillion in receipts are owned by women. Compare that to 1972, when there were only 402,000 women-owned businesses, representing 4.6 percent of all firms. Today 4 out of every 10 businesses in the U.S. are women-owned.

Spend this week celebrating your status as a single working woman, and support the other single women you know who show up to work every day.

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