Children & Youth
Single Female-Headed Households

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

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What does this measure?

The percentage of households headed by females living with one or more related family members.

Why is this important?

Female-headed households are more likely to be in poverty, especially if children are present. These differences can signal gender disparities in access to income or employment.

How is Westchester County performing?

In 2016-20, 12% of households were headed by females, virtually unchanged from 2000. This was on par with the national rate of 12% and slightly below the statewide rate of 14%. Westchester County's rate was also on par with Nassau County (12%) and slightly higher than Rockland and Putnam Counties (both 10%). Mount Vernon has the highest rate of single female-headed households at 22%.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 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 3 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 is expected to be released annually in December.

Single Female-Headed Households
20002006-102011-152016-20
Westchester County12%13%13%12%
Nassau County10%11%12%12%
Putnam County8%8%9%10%
Rockland County10%10%11%10%
New York State14%15%15%14%
Mount Vernon23%23%25%22%
New Rochelle12%14%12%13%
Peekskill17%13%14%17%*
Rye City6%7%*6%*5%**
White Plains10%11%12%10%
Yonkers17%17%18%17%
Westchester County Towns
Bedford6%9%*9%*13%**
Cortlandt8%8%11%11%*
Eastchester8%9%9%9%*
Greenburgh9%10%9%11%
Harrison7%10%*10%*7%*
Lewisboro6%6%*7%*6%**
Mamaroneck7%9%*7%*9%*
Mount Kisco11%11%*14%*4%***
Mount Pleasant8%11%9%*11%*
New Castle5%6%*4%**11%**
North Castle6%10%*7%*4%**
North Salem8%1%***5%***4%***
Ossining10%11%12%11%*
Pelham8%12%*13%*11%*
Pound Ridge6%8%***7%**5%***
Rye11%13%14%13%
Scarsdale5%7%*4%*4%**
Somers6%5%*8%*7%*
Yorktown6%9%*10%8%*
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley6%9%**8%**4%***
Briarcliff Manor5%7%**7%**7%**
Bronxville4%7%**5%**10%***
Buchanan11%10%**10%**10%***
Croton-on-Hudson8%6%**13%*9%*
Dobbs Ferry11%12%*7%**14%*
Elmsford12%12%**12%**18%*
Village of Harrison7%10%*10%*7%*
Hastings-on-Hudson6%8%**3%***6%**
Irvington5%12%**8%***8%***
Larchmont6%8%***4%***8%***
Village of Mamaroneck9%11%*10%*14%*
Village of Mount Kisco11%11%*14%*4%***
Village of Ossining13%14%*15%13%*
Village of Pelham9%15%**12%*13%**
Pelham Manor7%9%**13%**8%***
Pleasantville7%8%**8%***7%***
Port Chester13%14%*18%13%*
Rye Brook7%9%**7%**15%**
Village of Scarsdale5%7%*4%*4%**
Sleepy Hollow12%19%*13%*20%*
Tarrytown11%8%**7%**9%***
Tuckahoe11%16%*14%*7%***

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 Female-Headed Households
20002006-102011-152016-20
Westchester County39,81543,70344,24744,171
Nassau County46,57749,65651,65552,327
Putnam County2,5572,9473,0983,487
Rockland County9,02310,14510,48510,622
New York State1,011,0831,052,1601,071,3161,039,616
Mount Vernon5,8615,9596,1476,010
New Rochelle3,2263,8673,4993,836
Peekskill1,4891,1301,2821,619*
Rye City338398*308*268**
White Plains2,1512,6402,6872,356
Yonkers12,59912,79113,32012,661
Westchester County Towns
Bedford355528*502*709**
Cortlandt1,0341,1531,7311,538*
Eastchester1,0371,1711,1951,099*
Greenburgh3,0763,3122,9043,642
Harrison601828*836*538*
Lewisboro244274*306*260**
Mamaroneck727925*725*979*
Mount Kisco435478*543*163***
Mount Pleasant1,1041,4991,240*1,585*
New Castle312331*214**671**
North Castle231350*277*191**
North Salem13811***102***62***
Ossining1,2861,4501,5301,493*
Pelham342503*489*428*
Pound Ridge94153***125**91***
Rye1,7102,0162,2072,058
Scarsdale258360*223*201**
Somers381397*581*613*
Yorktown7861,179*1,2741,100*
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley86143**116**63***
Briarcliff Manor119178**182**181**
Bronxville98154**115**213***
Buchanan8587**81**78***
Croton-on-Hudson228167**376*267*
Dobbs Ferry410464*249**507*
Elmsford189214**179**279*
Village of Harrison601828*836*538*
Hastings-on-Hudson190233**91***180**
Irvington124305**193***175***
Larchmont135162***79***183***
Village of Mamaroneck617752*752*936*
Village of Mount Kisco435478*543*163***
Village of Ossining1,0371,168*1,2091,172*
Village of Pelham205348**263*286**
Pelham Manor137155**226**142***
Pleasantville195223**224***170***
Port Chester1,2361,409*1,6461,187*
Rye Brook221308**241**519**
Village of Scarsdale258360*223*201**
Sleepy Hollow391601*497*767*
Tarrytown515356**280**434***
Tuckahoe286429*402*217***

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 | WESTCHESTER
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Infant Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels 0
Maintaining
Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 -1
Decreasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Single Female-Headed Households 0
Maintaining
Contributions as a Percentage of Income 0
Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate 1
Increasing
Voter Participation Rate 1
Increasing
Serious Crimes -1
Decreasing
Reported Victims of Domestic Violence -1
Decreasing
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households With Internet Access, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households without Vehicles -1
Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Air Quality 1
Increasing
Population Density 0
Maintaining
Water Quality of the Long Island Sound 1
Increasing
Open Space in Westchester County 1
Increasing
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Change in Population, by Age -1
Decreasing
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
People 65 or Older Living Alone 1
Increasing
Change in Total Jobs -1
Decreasing
Change in Jobs by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Unemployment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty -1
Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
Seniors Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
Seniors Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Food Insecurity -1
Decreasing
Households Receiving SNAP, by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
Public Assistance 0
Maintaining
People Receiving Supplemental Security Income 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Rent Burdened Households -1
Decreasing
Homelessness, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness, by Sex 10 Not Applicable*
Per-Student Spending 0
Maintaining
Student Suspensions -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
College Enrollment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Mortality Rate from Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Diabetes Mortality, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Suicide Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*


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