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.

In 2016-20, the share of families in Westchester County headed by single parents was 65% among African American families, 43% among Hispanic families, 24% among white families and 15% among Asian families. All racial and ethnic groups in Westchester saw increases of single-parent families from 2000 to 2016-20.

Across racial and ethnic groups, Westchester County had lower proportions of families headed by single parents than in the state as a whole. Rates for Asian, African American, and Hispanic families in 2016-20 were higher in Westchester County than the surrounding counties of Rockland and Nassau, with the largest differences coming among African American families (50% in Rockland, 15 points lower than Westchester, and 54% in Nassau, 11 points lower than Westchester).

Racial and ethnic disparities in rates of single parenthood have several possible causes, including current and historic policies that have placed particular strain on African American families, incarceration rates among men of color, economic stress, as well as broader changes in social attitudes about gender roles, marriage and single parenthood.

The multi-year 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.