New Hampshire Report Reveals Child Care Costs Burden Single Mothers

A new report from the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation highlights the significant financial strain that child care costs place on families in New Hampshire, particularly single mothers. Released on March 12, 2024, the report reveals that a single mother in the state spends nearly half of her annual income on child care for her infant.

On average, the cost of caring for an infant in New Hampshire is approximately $21,593 per year, equating to about 45% of a single mother’s annual income of $48,464. The report provides a stark picture of the financial challenges faced by single mothers, indicating that even as children grow, the costs remain substantial. For toddlers, the estimated annual cost is $17,481, while preschoolers incur costs of about $12,809.

According to Devan Quinn, policy director at the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, the high costs of child care often compel mothers to reduce their working hours or leave the workforce altogether, a trend not as frequently seen among fathers. “When those women leave the workforce to care for children or aging parents, they often return to lower-paying positions,” Quinn explained. “These are the compounding issues of the high cost of living impacting women.”

The report also underscores the persistent wage gap in New Hampshire, where women earn only 76 cents for every dollar earned by men. This disparity exacerbates the financial burden of child care. Additionally, women represent 58% of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren, indicating that caregiving responsibilities disproportionately fall on women throughout their lives.

Challenges Beyond Child Care Expenses

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation report addresses various social, economic, and political barriers that women encounter in the state. Since 2000, the closure of at least 13 labor and delivery units, including the Concord Birth Center, has made access to crucial maternal health services more challenging for women, as they often need to travel longer distances for care.

Furthermore, the connection between maternal care and mental health is significant. Women who visit their obstetricians or gynecologists more regularly report lower instances of depression. Alarmingly, a state report indicates that mental health conditions are linked to over half of maternal fatalities in New Hampshire.

While overdose deaths have shown a marked decrease across the state, with a drop of 35% among men from 2023 to 2024, the report notes that women still face high risks. In 2023, 130 women died from drug overdoses, a number that fell to 94 in 2024. Conversely, overdose deaths among men decreased from 300 to 193 in the same period, illustrating a continuing disparity.

Women in Leadership and Community Impact

The report reveals that women in New Hampshire are increasingly taking on leadership roles, including positions in the U.S. Senate and the governor’s office. Yet, this leadership does not always translate to local governance. Women hold only 8% of mayoral positions, and 39% of towns in the state lack any female representation on their select boards. At the school board level, however, women are more represented, occupying 56% of seats.

Quinn notes the importance of women’s participation in leadership roles, stating, “Regardless of party, when women serve, they’re more likely to support policies that benefit women and girls in their community.” She emphasizes that women in the State House tend to pursue bipartisanship and compromise more than their male counterparts, highlighting a potential path toward addressing the challenges outlined in the report.

In summary, the findings from the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation emphasize the critical need for policy interventions to support single mothers and address the broader systemic challenges that women face in the state. The high costs of child care, combined with economic disparities and limited access to health services, create an environment where many women struggle to maintain both their families and their careers.