Partnered but Poor
While single-parent households are more likely to face economic hardship, the vast majority of people in low-income families with children are in households headed by married or unmarried partners, according to a new issue brief from the Center for American Progress. Partnered but Poor examines differences in income, public benefits, and access to healthcare among different family types, finding that most poor families with children are led by married or cohabiting couples. The authors argue that efforts to reduce poverty must focus on both partnered and single-parent households, and that raising wages for working parents is critical.