Map · Family Structure
OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS BY STATE — 2022
Source: CDC National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 73, No. 2 (April 2024) ·
Table I–7: Births to unmarried women by state · 2022 final birth data
What this measures: The percentage of all live births in each state where the mother was unmarried at the time of birth. This includes births outside of marriage regardless of relationship status. In 2022, 39.8% of all U.S. births — nearly 1.5 million children — were born to unmarried mothers. Research consistently links single-parent households to higher rates of poverty, lower educational attainment, and increased reliance on government assistance.
% of births to unmarried mothers
Low (20%)30%40%50%High (55%)
STATE RANKINGS — 2022
Highest % Out-of-Wedlock
Lowest % Out-of-Wedlock