Our Research & Sources

“Being a mom costs women approximately $500,000 over a 30-year career”

Bankrate analyzed Census Bureau data and found that full-time working mothers earned $55,276 annually vs. fathers' $72,280 — a gap of $17,000/year that compounds to approximately $500,000 over a career.

“Mothers earn 62 cents for every dollar fathers earn (including part-time and part-year workers)”

For full-time, year-round workers only, the figure is 74 cents per dollar. The 62 cents figure includes all working mothers, many of whom work part-time due to caregiving responsibilities.

“A mother's income drops 51% after her first child and stays depressed for at least 6 years”

The study tracked earnings trajectories and found that even primary-breadwinner mothers experienced around a 60% earnings penalty.

“The motherhood penalty accounts for 80% of the entire gender pay gap”

Research shows the wage gap between mothers and fathers is substantially wider than the gap between all women and all men.

“Fathers see a 23% pay increase after having children (fatherhood bonus)”

Full-time working fathers earn about 23% more than childless men, while mothers are penalized.

“40% of parents skip meals so their children can eat”

Note: This statistic refers to parents generally, not exclusively mothers. However, women disproportionately bear this burden as primary caregivers.

“1 in 3 single moms and their kids struggle with hunger — the highest rate of any household type”

In the U.S., there are 9 million single mothers, and over half of them live on low incomes.

“Canadian food bank visits hit 2.2 million in a single month — a 99% increase since 2019”

Single-parent families are heavily represented among food bank users.

“1.4 million Canadian children (1 in 5) are living in poverty, with 360,000 added in just two years”

Canada has experienced the largest increase in child poverty rates on record in recent years.

“42% of Canadian children aged 0-17 living with single mothers live in poverty”

Nearly 1 in 2 children growing up in lone-parent families in Canada are below the poverty line.

“U.S. child poverty rate was 13.3% in 2024 (approximately 9.7 million children)”

Still significantly higher than the 2021 historic low of 5.2%.

“3 in 5 Canadian women under age 55 cannot handle a surprise expense of more than $1,000”

1 in 4 Canadian women aged 35-54 say they could not manage any unanticipated expense.

“Lone mothers in Canada have an average adjusted income of $25,300 — $15,000 less than lone fathers”

Lone fathers had an average adjusted income of $40,300.

“Full-day childcare in the U.S. can cost up to $15,600/year — comparable to annual rent”

Families spend between 8.9% and 16.0% of their median income on full-day childcare for just one child. The U.S. has the highest childcare costs among all OECD countries.