Finding Homes, Partners in Fresno Is Tough for Single Parents: Report

A new report calls Fresno one of the worst places in the nation for single parents to settle.

Not only does Fresno’s cost of housing far outpace average income, but a lack of singles makes it hard to find a partner, according to the study from NewHomesMate.

Fresno ranked No. 45 on a list of 50 big cities for how easily a single parent can thrive in a city. Bakersfield received the No. 49 spot, just below Los Angeles. Atlanta was named the best city for a single parent.

Housing, Child Care Costs Put the Squeeze on Single Parents

Analysts used average income, median housing price, average education level, and the percentage of other singles to determine the rankings.

Fresno’s average $26,368 annual income barely covers the $21,939 cost to raise a child yearly, the study reported. And, with an average home price of $393,500, buying a home to raise a child is just as hard.

In cities such as Baltimore — ranked No. 5 — the average annual income is only one-sixth of the cost of a house. In Fresno, the annual income is one-fifteenth the cost of a home. Los Angeles’s annual income is one-thirtieth the cost of a home.

Finding a Partner to Help Pay for Costs Is Hard in Fresno

With only 32% of the population single, finding a partner would be difficult for a newly arrived single parent. In Atlanta, 58% of people live uncommitted. Bakersfield fares worse with 25% of the population single.

Fresno lags in terms of dating opportunities as well.

Personal finance website Wallethub ranked Fresno No. 140 of 150 cities for access to and quality of education. Using this ranking, NewHomesMate put Fresno low in terms of educational attainment.