2021’s Best Cities for Single Dads

Father drinking coffee and sitting at his computer while holding his baby on his lap

Raising kids on your own isn’t easy when you’re a working dad. Your life becomes a balancing act between a million priorities, all of them equally important.

For peace of mind, it helps to bring up your family in a city where single fathers receive maximum support from their community.

LawnStarter ranked the Best Cities for Single Dads by comparing the 200 biggest U.S. cities on 34 key indicators of a single-dad-friendly environment.

What makes a city suitable for solo dads and their children? Affordable housing and child care, world-class hospitals and schools, and strong public programs are among the most important factors. Even a short commute goes a long way.

Check out our ranking below, followed by some highlights, lowlights, and expert parenting advice.

On Father’s Day, June 20, give dad some extra attention so he feels loved and appreciated.

City Rankings
Highlights and Lowlights
Ask the Experts
Methodology
Why This Study Matters

City Rankings

See how each city fared in our ranking:

OVERALL RANK	City	Overall Score	Affordability Rank	Child Care Rank	Health and Education Systems Rank	Home and Outdoor Environments Rank	Work Environment Rank	Socioeconomic Environment Rank	Dad Protections Rank	Dad Support Rank
1	Boston, MA	58.28	181	190	16	30	146	60	1	40
2	Salem, OR	57.88	152	65	96	26	48	115	4	13
3	Eugene, OR	57.46	158	5	75	52	3	130	4	75
4	Portland, OR	55.76	168	140	39	62	69	38	4	109
5	Fremont, CA	55.75	195	198	2	61	186	6	18	119
6	Seattle, WA	55.24	157	195	23	36	127	11	60	12
7	Bellevue, WA	54.64	169	192	14	44	123	3	60	158
8	Irvine, CA	54.52	189	164	4	161	106	7	18	169
9	Springfield, MA	54.42	102	177	120	54	13	173	1	114
10	Worcester, MA	52.82	138	196	114	50	65	81	1	162
11	Cary, NC	52.60	4	52	53	1	130	8	91	150
12	Sunnyvale, CA	52.54	199	197	11	143	89	1	18	164
13	San Francisco, CA	52.35	196	193	33	121	188	10	18	36
14	San Diego, CA	52.23	179	188	10	178	87	34	18	17
15	Washington, DC	52.19	131	152	167	79	178	21	17	38
16	Overland Park, KS	52.16	18	17	1	2	80	9	115	153
17	Spokane, WA	52.01	38	153	65	32	18	122	60	51
18	Sacramento, CA	52.00	130	183	36	171	68	95	18	4
19	Pasadena, CA	51.90	183	170	27	182	132	25	18	31
20	Providence, RI	51.84	114	135	175	66	28	150	11	39
21	Syracuse, NY	51.81	37	59	133	73	2	188	12	163
22	Torrance, CA	51.62	177	149	28	196	129	14	18	59
23	Madison, WI	51.48	90	119	21	25	7	32	73	20
24	Buffalo, NY	51.37	27	68	159	42	9	189	12	136
25	Naperville, IL	50.82	34	86	7	3	199	2	91	200
26	Yonkers, NY	50.80	170	103	178	9	168	61	12	62
27	Jersey City, NJ	50.59	147	105	162	149	193	43	8	115
28	Tacoma, WA	50.37	116	186	81	77	147	76	60	11
29	New York, NY	50.33	197	108	106	70	198	82	12	43
30	Elk Grove, CA	50.27	149	171	19	81	166	24	18	185
31	Denver, CO	50.12	141	130	45	128	142	37	65	3
32	Sioux Falls, SD	49.92	3	1	24	10	47	51	115	127
33	Rochester, NY	49.70	65	87	174	56	5	195	12	100
34	St. Paul, MN	49.52	66	145	94	23	21	101	65	26
35	Frisco, TX	49.39	12	36	15	8	196	5	115	190
36	Santa Rosa, CA	49.30	190	168	51	71	60	52	18	85
37	Olathe, KS	49.12	10	38	3	33	97	18	115	145
38	Lincoln, NE	48.96	17	4	35	21	14	71	115	44
39	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	48.80	167	159	49	117	180	26	18	173
40	Oakland, CA	48.71	176	194	108	92	153	59	18	22
41	Vancouver, WA	48.64	134	155	86	53	115	70	60	88
42	Raleigh, NC	48.32	105	45	44	38	91	54	91	18
42	Modesto, CA	48.32	92	163	22	183	150	112	18	73
44	Santa Clarita, CA	48.25	163	184	37	148	197	22	18	113
45	Chula Vista, CA	48.22	173	178	54	122	139	40	18	147
46	Fullerton, CA	48.21	182	180	9	192	125	35	18	177
47	Fort Collins, CO	48.16	140	141	43	34	16	44	65	130
48	Lakewood, CO	48.02	151	134	6	115	133	28	65	122
48	Hayward, CA	48.02	191	199	34	90	148	46	18	129
50	Minneapolis, MN	47.94	51	147	88	15	31	63	65	132
51	Atlanta, GA	47.60	45	60	141	109	154	65	73	1
52	Gilbert, AZ	47.53	82	121	12	95	170	19	73	112
53	Long Beach, CA	47.51	166	187	99	176	125	97	18	21
54	Orange, CA	47.35	192	165	69	187	86	36	18	60
55	Boise City, ID	47.24	43	51	31	27	24	55	115	29
56	Glendale, CA	47.21	185	157	18	166	102	47	18	198
57	Omaha, NE	47.05	20	3	20	5	45	69	115	131
57	Bakersfield, CA	47.05	99	144	97	191	100	127	18	81
59	Huntington Beach, CA	46.98	186	158	102	181	161	20	18	174
60	Scottsdale, AZ	46.87	53	100	62	147	144	13	73	138
61	Escondido, CA	46.86	178	161	82	91	105	100	18	89
62	San Jose, CA	46.81	198	200	60	139	138	16	18	125
63	Chandler, AZ	46.53	71	122	8	179	124	23	73	104
64	Stockton, CA	46.40	126	143	41	193	175	141	18	108
65	Bridgeport, CT	46.34	148	175	184	156	52	164	7	90
66	Oceanside, CA	46.24	180	174	89	118	152	62	18	149
67	Colorado Springs, CO	46.22	113	151	47	89	109	58	65	99
68	Fresno, CA	46.11	91	156	67	190	43	186	18	55
69	Des Moines, IA	45.97	25	27	85	24	26	93	115	8
70	Arlington, VA	45.80	77	150	5	7	191	4	115	199
71	Paterson, NJ	45.65	159	120	198	88	15	181	8	93
72	Corona, CA	45.54	171	179	98	127	192	53	18	179
73	Kansas City, MO	45.33	41	19	32	119	77	88	115	10
74	Riverside, CA	45.14	156	173	80	184	121	94	18	151
75	Plano, TX	45.07	79	58	13	49	157	12	115	194
76	Aurora, CO	44.85	155	138	52	59	176	64	65	118
77	Garden Grove, CA	44.82	184	169	91	155	82	86	18	175
78	McKinney, TX	44.80	61	54	26	13	187	17	115	187
79	Louisville, KY	44.75	29	21	70	22	66	104	115	37
80	Los Angeles, CA	44.68	188	191	110	194	136	116	18	27
81	Fontana, CA	44.54	154	172	59	195	156	105	18	170
81	Salinas, CA	44.54	172	189	55	163	88	148	18	137
81	Baton Rouge, LA	44.54	7	15	150	43	19	166	91	46
84	Huntsville, AL	43.92	1	40	64	28	34	73	115	167
85	Ontario, CA	43.88	175	162	117	135	140	135	18	116
86	Oxnard, CA	43.70	187	182	149	98	85	123	18	86
87	Oklahoma City, OK	43.64	26	50	56	99	108	106	115	16
88	Salt Lake City, UT	43.58	88	42	118	78	30	78	115	5
89	Little Rock, AR	43.55	14	30	78	131	56	103	115	32
90	Milwaukee, WI	43.51	52	129	157	58	17	171	73	7
91	Lexington, KY	43.45	69	10	30	29	50	84	115	121
92	Thornton, CO	43.32	146	132	126	116	183	42	65	97
93	Newark, NJ	43.28	142	139	199	169	131	192	8	87
94	San Bernardino, CA	43.15	132	166	139	154	78	194	18	61
95	Greensboro, NC	43.00	63	29	84	57	49	125	91	161
96	Winston-Salem, NC	42.81	54	45	68	51	75	149	91	71
97	Aurora, IL	42.78	119	112	57	64	167	49	91	84
98	Peoria, AZ	42.59	84	110	73	137	171	41	73	154
99	Anaheim, CA	42.58	193	181	124	172	103	96	18	186
100	Lubbock, TX	42.48	56	8	25	46	27	140	115	102
101	Moreno Valley, CA	42.29	165	166	148	160	179	134	18	166
102	Metairie, LA	42.21	23	24	187	68	90	67	91	83
103	Rockford, IL	42.18	16	72	38	140	36	174	91	65
104	Charlotte, NC	42.17	101	73	111	80	145	57	91	94
105	Honolulu, HI	42.03	200	146	42	108	64	45	73	47
106	Pomona, CA	41.99	174	154	112	200	114	157	18	126
106	Mesa, AZ	41.99	70	118	72	123	83	119	73	96
108	Toledo, OH	41.98	6	39	71	125	32	196	115	2
109	Lancaster, CA	41.96	121	160	176	198	169	132	18	107
110	Phoenix, AZ	41.94	81	124	104	199	101	136	73	6
111	Anchorage, AK	41.93	133	69	123	72	118	39	115	14
112	Tempe, AZ	41.82	93	97	100	174	6	102	73	98
113	Durham, NC	41.71	83	62	151	67	73	68	91	106
114	Austin, TX	41.50	128	95	92	114	117	50	115	15
115	Santa Ana, CA	41.49	194	176	180	173	55	145	18	64
116	Reno, NV	41.41	108	106	119	74	40	85	91	67
117	Columbus, OH	41.37	59	76	163	47	37	126	115	9
118	Alexandria, VA	41.33	164	142	63	20	189	15	115	53
119	Henderson, NV	41.11	89	131	128	107	92	33	91	146
120	Tallahassee, FL	41.00	104	49	66	134	1	163	115	45
121	Jacksonville, FL	40.75	85	91	17	177	116	111	115	28
122	Tulsa, OK	40.66	31	34	83	31	59	142	115	103
123	St. Louis, MO	40.65	11	33	129	141	72	154	115	24
124	Nashville, TN	40.55	94	55	161	19	112	90	115	42
125	Indianapolis, IN	40.53	47	128	46	153	76	138	115	25
126	Mobile, AL	40.51	24	9	58	39	67	158	115	192
127	Baltimore, MD	40.44	58	148	177	100	151	139	73	35
128	Macon, GA	40.42	30	18	145	120	63	179	73	188
129	Wichita, KS	40.41	13	78	113	60	46	110	115	80
130	Palmdale, CA	40.34	143	185	156	197	200	117	18	140
131	Murfreesboro, TN	40.26	80	32	87	14	111	74	115	189
132	Tucson, AZ	40.25	48	85	121	180	12	178	73	72
133	Grand Rapids, MI	40.21	44	35	137	4	11	143	115	110
134	Virginia Beach, VA	40.15	139	113	50	41	162	27	115	128
135	Chesapeake, VA	40.14	106	115	48	65	158	29	115	178
136	Kansas City, KS	40.12	72	43	77	144	58	176	115	19
137	Knoxville, TN	40.06	40	11	61	103	10	169	115	168
138	Fort Wayne, IN	40.00	5	84	127	40	62	109	115	68
139	Enterprise, NV	39.91	137	136	136	37	95	48	91	92
140	Shreveport, LA	39.81	9	20	90	170	57	187	91	160
141	Glendale, AZ	39.78	68	104	138	168	122	144	73	56
142	Springfield, MO	39.76	42	16	116	35	8	172	115	123
143	Columbus, GA	39.65	49	75	146	101	113	165	73	165
144	Montgomery, AL	39.49	32	31	164	150	41	162	115	23
145	Tampa, FL	39.44	87	99	29	112	119	91	115	74
146	Chicago, IL	39.39	103	125	185	129	182	75	91	34
147	Pittsburgh, PA	39.17	33	92	95	106	61	83	115	148
148	Augusta, GA	39.04	73	6	188	48	79	191	73	197
149	Amarillo, TX	38.99	28	14	125	105	94	124	115	157
150	Orlando, FL	38.89	124	82	79	142	104	113	115	48
151	Chattanooga, TN	38.80	36	66	130	84	54	120	115	79
152	Joliet, IL	38.65	55	109	172	124	184	56	91	176
153	Spring Valley, NV	38.54	127	117	183	11	51	98	91	66
154	Fayetteville, NC	38.43	125	2	134	113	134	182	91	63
155	Richmond, VA	38.41	100	114	143	45	25	153	115	41
156	Clarksville, TN	38.17	78	41	122	12	190	121	115	82
157	Irving, TX	38.13	120	53	109	94	135	77	115	95
158	Arlington, TX	37.95	95	48	101	75	159	107	115	101
158	Corpus Christi, TX	37.95	75	22	40	164	128	131	115	152
160	Albuquerque, NM	37.88	35	107	93	189	33	114	115	58
161	Cincinnati, OH	37.77	2	67	142	111	29	168	115	111
162	Midland, TX	37.52	86	12	196	16	195	31	115	135
163	Jackson, MS	37.44	57	7	182	136	22	190	115	49
164	San Antonio, TX	37.41	97	37	74	96	106	146	115	184
165	St. Petersburg, FL	37.22	96	88	135	97	70	80	115	132
166	Hollywood, FL	37.12	145	94	107	85	155	92	115	54
167	Las Vegas, NV	37.09	110	127	169	165	84	118	91	76
168	Dallas, TX	36.82	123	61	170	126	173	137	115	30
169	Pembroke Pines, FL	36.80	150	89	105	93	172	30	115	196
170	Paradise, NV	36.73	109	98	194	6	23	151	91	105
171	Miramar, FL	36.61	162	63	115	110	120	66	115	144
172	Savannah, GA	36.30	118	23	197	138	39	170	73	191
173	Fort Worth, TX	36.15	76	56	165	151	181	87	115	77
174	Akron, OH	36.03	22	81	155	82	38	177	115	117
175	Grand Prairie, TX	35.76	117	64	147	76	160	99	115	142
176	New Orleans, LA	35.55	46	83	173	188	71	160	91	195
177	Fort Lauderdale, FL	35.49	136	74	158	186	149	89	115	50
178	Newport News, VA	35.41	107	102	131	130	110	108	115	143
179	North Las Vegas, NV	35.38	129	126	193	87	96	133	91	91
180	Cape Coral, FL	35.37	144	111	160	17	143	79	115	181
181	El Paso, TX	35.30	60	70	132	146	98	159	115	159
182	Dayton, OH	35.19	8	101	191	55	4	197	115	52
183	Port St. Lucie, FL	35.12	153	123	103	63	163	72	115	182
184	Birmingham, AL	35.03	21	26	186	133	42	183	115	139
185	Philadelphia, PA	34.91	98	133	166	132	165	167	115	33
186	Killeen, TX	34.19	74	93	144	102	177	152	115	134
187	Pasadena, TX	33.94	67	47	179	83	194	155	115	141
188	Memphis, TN	33.93	50	57	168	167	44	185	115	155
189	Sunrise Manor, NV	33.90	112	136	195	18	74	184	91	70
190	Cleveland, OH	33.89	15	96	154	104	20	199	115	78
191	Houston, TX	33.69	111	77	152	152	174	147	115	124
192	Miami, FL	33.59	161	79	76	162	141	161	115	156
193	Garland, TX	33.46	135	71	192	69	164	129	115	120
194	McAllen, TX	33.23	19	28	181	158	99	180	115	193
195	Laredo, TX	32.47	62	80	190	86	81	193	115	172
196	Mesquite, TX	31.94	115	44	200	145	185	127	115	57
196	Norfolk, VA	31.94	122	116	153	159	137	156	115	180
198	Hialeah, FL	31.80	160	13	140	156	93	175	115	171
199	Brownsville, TX	30.84	64	25	189	175	53	198	115	183
200	Detroit, MI	30.35	39	90	171	185	35	200	115	69

infographic depicting best and worst cities for single dads

Highlights and Lowlights

The Boston (Single) Pops

Boston tops our ranking of the Best Cities for Single Dads. The city performs well in a number of metrics, but the real reason Beantown is No. 1 is because of high marks in the Dad Protections category, thanks to generous time off and paid family-leave policies.

Two other Massachusetts cities — Springfield and Worcester — also perform well overall at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively. While these smaller towns don’t have all the amenities of Boston, they share statewide parent-friendly protections, which make The Bay State an excellent choice for dads raising their children alone.

Pleasant Parenting in the Pacific Northwest

Oregon and Washington are another regional hotspot that dominated our ranking of the Best Cities for Single Dads: Five of the top 10 cities are from Oregon and Washington.

Pacific Northwest cities performed exceptionally well in several categories. Bellevue, Washington, came in at No. 14 on Health and Education Systems and No. 3 on Socioeconomic Environment. In Oregon, Salem, Eugene, and Portland all share fourth place on Dad Protections.

Clearly there’s something special about being a single dad in Cascadia.

Tough Times in Texas

Life in Texas can be tough for fathers flying solo. Brownsville lands at No. 199 on our ranking of the 200 biggest cities, Houston at No. 191, and El Paso at 181. Even the overall highest-ranking Texas cities, Frisco at No. 35 and Plano at 75, finish well behind the leaders of the pack.

Many Texas cities also perform poorly in the Dad Support category, with El Paso at 159 and McAllen at 193.

Brownsville, in fact, is an interesting tale of two cities. While Western Gulf Coast city is a surprising No. 1 for its low cost of living, it also ranks 197 in uninsured children, 195 in food insecurity, and last in median annual income for working men.

They say everything is bigger in Texas, but maybe not better when it comes to Best Cities for Single Dads.

Ask The Experts

The pandemic tested dads’ limits and in many ways made them better parents. But now that life is returning to normal, will single parenting be like it was pre-pandemic?

We asked a panel of experts to weigh in. See what they had to say below.

Post-pandemic, what can single dads expect their roles to look like?
What are the best ways for single dads to find social and emotional support if they don’t have a strong network?
What less familiar government incentives or social programs are available to single dads (or single parents in general) struggling financially?
How are societal pressures and expectations different for single dads vs. single moms?
What are some meaningful ways that busy single dads can spend more time with their kids?

Alicia Pieper

Assistant Professor

Daniel J. Puhlman Ph.D., C-LMFT

Assistant Professor of Family Studies, College of Education and Human Development

Allen Sabey, Ph.D., LMFT

Core Faculty, Marriage & Family Therapy Program, Therapist, The Family Institute

Alicia Pieper

Assistant Professor

Kent State University

Alicia Pieper

Assistant Professor

Kent State University

Post-pandemic, what can single dads expect their roles to look like?

If they are a parent with total custody, I would expect their role to be very much like it was before. They have many of the problems single mothers have, such as needing more flexible work hours, family leave time, suitable childcare, etc.

Hopefully, if they were able to keep their job and work from home, the pandemic allowed many fathers to spend more quality time with their children.

What are the best ways for single dads to find social and emotional support if they don’t have a strong network?

Develop their own support organizations. Find other single fathers with similar problems. Single mothers have had support organizations for years. Men need to create similar organizations.

How are societal pressures and expectations different for single dads vs. single moms?

Most women are socialized to be self-supporting, independent, but also “motherly.”

Men are socialized to be “manly” to be strong, aggressive, protective, a “take charge” mentality. Men are teased if they “act like a girl.”

A single father is going to have to learn how to be nurturing, to show emotions, to be “motherly” when they become a single father.

What are some meaningful ways that busy single dads can spend more time with their kids?

Encourage their employer to allow them to work part-time from home.
Be willing to spend their free time with child-oriented activities rather than participating in free time with their buddies.
Give up working overtime or accepting promotions that will require more time.
Participate in volunteering at school.
Start their own company, which will allow them to work at home.
Take the child to work with them if it is safe.
When doing household tasks, encourage the kids to help (many young kids love to “help” their parents).

Daniel J. Puhlman Ph.D., C-LMFT

Assistant Professor of Family Studies, College of Education and Human Development

University of Maine

Daniel J. Puhlman Ph.D., C-LMFT

Assistant Professor of Family Studies, College of Education and Human Development

University of Maine

Post-pandemic, what can single dads expect their roles to look like?

Life after the pandemic is such a major question for anyone in our society where we are all subject to changes and shifts in our lives.

It’s really difficult to predict what that will look like, but based on research we do know that various factors will likely have important impacts. Family routines, family structure (divorce, step-parents, etc.), work schedules, financial changes, and family or social support networks have a substantial impact on fathers that will force many dads to rethink their ways of living and the choices they make around their children.

Single fathers have the luxury of adjusting to these changes and making decisions independently, but they also tend to lack the supports that are helpful in adjusting to these changes.

What are the best ways for single dads to find social and emotional support if they don’t have a strong network?

For single Dads, creating a support network around their children can be incredibly helpful. Men tend to center friendships and social networks around activities like sports, business, games, etc., where conversations and interactions are built around a common experience.

Getting involved in activities in which their children are involved is a great way to build a network. Single dads can introduce their children to their own personal interests and support their children’s growth and learning in these activities based on their own skill sets and abilities.

Coaching or volunteering in activities also provide opportunities to connect with other dads and like-minded individuals.

Attending events focused on children and engaging with other parents can be instrumental in connecting with others in meaningful ways.

There are of course more structured activities and supports (i.e. support groups, parenting classes, clubs, etc.) that bring together single fathers often provided by social-service agencies that can be excellent ways for fathers to engage with other like-minded individuals, as well.

What less familiar government incentives or social programs are available to single dads (or single parents in general) struggling financially?

Every state and local municipality varies in the extent to which programs are available to fathers. Unfortunately, father-focused programming is lacking across the board, although some communities are better than others.

I suggest reaching out to the professionals in the local organizations and searching websites to see what is available in each specific community. Families or fathers with lower incomes have more resources available to them, especially financially, and it would be valuable to reach out to your local health and human services departments to see what is available and what criteria are needed to participate in the programs.

How are societal pressures and expectations different for single dads vs. single moms?

Fortunately, the climate on this topic is shifting. Historically, single fathers were not as common as today, and the single parenting world was pretty well dominated by single moms.

As more fathers are taking active roles in their children’s lives independent of the involvement of their ex-partners, single-fathering has become less taboo. In some ways single fathers have been given more credit for their involvement with their children.

Mothers are often assumed to be actively involved with their kids and being a single parent is expected, whereas fathers who step up as single parents have been an exception rather than a rule.

Many single fathers report being approached with compliments and surprise at their engagement with their children, which, while helpful, can be off-putting to some fathers, suggesting that their involvement as a father is optional.

What are some meaningful ways that busy single dads can spend more time with their kids?

The key for busy single fathers to better engage with children is to structure their lives and activities around the needs and interests of their children.

If fatherhood is central to a man’s identity, they will be more likely to arrange their lives in ways that make sense to be a more engaged father, and sometimes that is very challenging and requires sacrifice. Sometimes this can mean taking a less active role in their careers and making active sacrifices to be present for their kids.

Maybe careers and jobs that require frequent travel, burdensome performance expectations, or have poor family policies are not the best fit for single fathers who want to be actively involved. This can be challenging for some careers and so other strategies may be more beneficial.

I suggested getting involved as coaches or volunteers for children’s activities in a previous question, which I think applies to this one, as well.

Participating in activities with children or setting up activities that are natural and organic to the needs of the family environment can be helpful. Letting kids participate in activities, such as home maintenance, car repairs, or lawn care, can be great ways to accomplish needed tasks, teach your children life skills, and build a strong relationship with them.

Allen Sabey, Ph.D., LMFT

Core Faculty, Marriage & Family Therapy Program, Therapist, The Family Institute

Northwestern University

Allen Sabey, Ph.D., LMFT

Core Faculty, Marriage & Family Therapy Program, Therapist, The Family Institute

Northwestern University

Post-pandemic, what can single dads expect their roles to look like?

Transitions can be difficult, even if it’s a transition back to “normal.” Life will not be the same after going through all that we have during the pandemic.

Single dads would do well to pause and take stock of what they’ve experienced and how their and their children’s lives have changed.

Are there changes that they would like to keep in place or work to amend?

For many families, the pandemic highlighted dynamics and roles that were already in place. Are single dads satisfied with these dynamics?

Some families have reported increased closeness while others have experienced heightened conflict.

What are the best ways for single dads to find social and emotional support if they don’t have a strong network?

Single dads often have a lot of roles and responsibilities, and they can find it difficult to take care of themselves as much as they do for others. So, it’s a feat for some to just acknowledge that they need social and emotional support. That’s often the hardest step.

Once single dads are aware that they need more support than they currently have, consider if there are any friendships that could be strengthened by initiating doing things together or calling to talk.

There is a socialized barrier that many men feel that prevents men from expressing or acting on their desire for stronger and deeper friendships.

Men who are looking for social and emotional support can trust that there are many men who feel similarly, but who may be equally reluctant to reach out.

There are also some wonderful organizations around that are explicitly aimed at creating and strengthening friendships for men, including the Mankind Project and Everyman.

How are societal pressures and expectations different for single dads vs. single moms?

As I mentioned above, it is generally more natural for women (e.g., single moms) to reach out to a friend for support. But that is just societal conditioning.

Men and single dads need just as much support just as women and single moms, but dads are often more reluctant to share that they are overwhelmed or struggling.

What are some meaningful ways that busy single dads can spend more time with their kids?

Research that I’ve conducted with young children and their parents indicated that, by far, the two best ways to show love and affection toward children is through physical and verbal expressions of love (e.g., “I love you,” “It’s so fun spending time together”) and through playing together. Play is how children communicate, and there are endless ways of playing together with children.

Single dads can make driving together into a game (e.g., take turns making up sentences to a story), bath time into a game (e.g., time how long they can hold their breath underwater), and eating meals into enjoyable conversation (e.g., ask if they could have a superpower, what would it be).

With teenagers, asking simple questions and just listening to understand (rather than quickly giving advice or trying to help them feel better about something) helps them to feel comfortable sharing and coming to their parents. It’s much more about the quality of time rather than the quantity of time.

Methodology

We ranked the 200 largest U.S. cities from best (No. 1) to worst (No. 200) based on their overall scores (out of 100 possible points), averaged across the weighted metrics below.

Metric	Weighting	Min. Value	Max. Value	Best
Affordability
Cost of Living	3	74	206	Min. Value
Housing Affordability for Male Workers	3	22.63	75.35	Max. Value
Copays as a Share of Household Income	1	0%	22%	Min. Value
Child Care
Baby Supply Stores per 100,000 Residents	1	0	6.87	Max. Value
Child Care Workers per 100,000 Residents	3	63.48	443.42	Max. Value
Hourly Cost of Babysitter	2	$11.25	$19.25	Min. Value
Annual Cost of Child Care	2	$5,864	$21,256	Min. Value
Health and Education Systems
Hospitals per Capita	1	0	147.78	Max. Value
Quality of Public Hospitals	3	80	95	Max. Value
Family Practitioners per 100,000 Residents	2	3.16	124.06	Max. Value
Share of Uninsured Children	3	0.05%	13.97%	Min. Value
Quality of Public Schools	3	6	10.5	Max. Value
Home and Outdoor Environments
Median Air Quality Index	1	20	119	Min. Value
Walk Score	1	13	98	Max. Value
Pedestrian Fatalities per 100,000 Residents	1	0	7.67	Min. Value
Yard Size	1	2744	23951	Max. Value
Crime Index	1	0	88	Max. Value
"Best Cities for Water Quality" Rank	1	1	200	Min. Value
Share of Homes with Severe Housing Problems	1	0.1	0.33	Min. Value
Work Environment
Average Length of Work Week (in Hours) for Men	2	36.7	46.4	Min. Value
Average Commute Time (in Minutes) for Men	2	17.8	48.6	Min. Value
Socioeconomic Environment
Median Annual Income for Working Men	3	31974	116445	Max. Value
Share of Men with College Degree	2	10.1	75.5	Max. Value
Share of Working Men in Poverty	2	1.60%	19.93%	Min. Value
Share of Children Under 18 in Poverty	2	3.1	50.2	Min. Value
Food Insecurity	1	0.06	0.18	Min. Value
Dad Protections
Length of Paid Family Leave Allowed	3	0	12	Max. Value
Share of Wage Replacement	2	0%	100%	Max. Value
Availability of Job Protection in Paid Family Leave Policy (Yes/No)	3	0	1	Max. Value
Availability of State Law Allowing Sick Leave for Child Care (Yes/No)	3	0	1	Max. Value
Availability of Protected Time Off for School Events (Yes/No)	2	0	1	Max. Value
Dad Support
Single-Dads per 100,000 Residents	2	332.2	1521.61	Max. Value
Availability of Fatherhood Program(s)	2	0	1	Max. Value
Dad Support Groups per 100,000 Single Dads	2	0	420.49	Max. Value

Sources: AreaVibes, Care.com, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Child Care Aware of America, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, LawnStarter, Livability, Meetup, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, NeighborhoodScout, Niche, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Walk Score, Workplace Fairness, and Yelp

Why This Study Matters

Fatherhood isn’t what it used to be. In recent years, paternal roles have changed, and attitudes about family have shifted, especially during the pandemic.

What hasn’t changed are the struggles of single parenting, like finding child care, relying on a single income, maintaining work-life balance, or holding a steady job.

Now that the pandemic is all but behind us, solo dads are back to juggling some of the same pre-pandemic responsibilities, too: putting in extra hours at work for additional income, taking the kids to dance or soccer practice, prepping meals.

Doing all of that alone can leave dads vulnerable to stress and hardship.

That’s why support in every possible form is so important: Every bit of help — even clean air and a spacious yard for kids to run around and play while dad tries to get work done — can make a huge difference.

And you can help your dad, too. Mow his lawn this week ahead of Father’s Day or hire a pro to take that chore off his hands so you can spend more time with Pops this weekend.

Main Photo Credit: Shutterstock