Oregon’s Single Parents Battle Financial Strain as State Sees Subtle Family Structure Changes

The number of single-parent households in Oregon has dropped by 1% over the last four years, in line with the rest of the U.S. with decreases of 1% to 2%.

Single Parents are in a Continuous Cycle of Struggle

The survey, conducted by badcredit.org, describes single parenthood as a continuous ‘cycle of struggle’ that shows a ‘consistent use of credit cards’ and a decline in credit ratings.

The survey found that single parents are under financial pressure to pay school fees, clothing, extramural activities, childcare, and medical bills, forcing many into using credit cards or short-term loans to pay for monthly essentials.

However, Oregon bucked the trend of three states – Texas, New Mexico, and South Carolina – that experienced an increase in the number of households with single parents. Instead, single-parent homes in Oregon dropped from 21% in 2021 to 20% in 2024.

Agricultural Areas Showed the Biggest Drops and the Biggest Increases

The biggest drop in single-parent households in Oregon counties was the 18% recorded in Wheeler. However, the significant drop could be because the county is one of the least populated in Oregon, with 1,436 residents in 2023.

The same can be said of the state’s four other counties with the biggest drops in single-parent households – all five with small populations and agricultural areas.

Grant County dropped by 10%, Gilliam by 8%, with a 7% decrease recorded in Wallowa and Tillamook.

The five Oregon counties that recorded the biggest growth in single-parent households were Polk 6%, Harney 5%, Curry 3%, and 2% each for Baker and Umatilla – all agricultural areas of Oregon.

A Staggering Number of Single-Parent Households

‘Even though the data shows that single parenthood may be on the decline, a staggering number of families are still trying to get by on just one salary,’ says badcredit.org managing director Jon McDonald.

Among his tips to help single parents economize is to invest time in collecting and using coupons and loyalty cards to maximize discounts.

McDonald says by adopting frugal habits, single parents will stretch their dollar further and avoid a cycle of debt.