Intergenerational Consequences of Births to Unmarried Women

Births to unmarried women have increased 10-fold, from about four percent in 1960 to 40 percent in 2018. Apart from teenagers, women of every age, race and ethnic group, and education level have contributed to this trend. A substantial literature reveals that children raised in two parent households fare better in life than those in any other household configuration. Many unmarried mothers inadvertently raise disadvantaged children, which is partly the product of low income that is common in non-traditional households. Exacerbating the effects of low income for these households are problems associated with family stress, household instability, and fewer parenting resources. The result is a tragedy for the children which also imposes high social costs. In 2020 about 20 percent of the prime age labor force, aged 25-54, was born to an unmarried woman. By 2050 it will be almost 40 percent. Their lower productivity undermines the social safety net that supports older Americans and is likely to increase the poverty rate when they retire even if Social Security benefits are sustained at the current level. High quality pre-school education programs that might improve the life chances of these children are explored as are vocational education and apprenticeship programs that target teens and young adults. Improving the marriage market might reduce the incidence of births to unmarried women. The corona-19 pandemic revealed how widespread economic insecurity is in the United States. Institutional reform that guarantees medical care, standard housing, and high quality day care for all citizens could relieve this insecurity with substantial benefits to children raised in non-traditional households.