There are a number of factors associated with the high rate of women being poor. Mothers raising children are the hardest hit with poverty which makes family status the main factor. Within the group of mothers raising children, young mothers raising young children emerge as a subgroup with the most critical need. Although many mothers raising children are not poor, mothers who are also single while raising children add another factor associated with women being poor. Sometimes referred to as father absent families and female headed families the group of single mothers raising children can be further broken into subgroups of divorced mothers, never married mothers and unwed mothers.
Race is also a significant factor related to women in poverty.
Hispanics may be of any race. The working status of women contributes to their poverty status. In many instances the husband bread winner is not a part of the family portrait which creates the single female head of household. So, in many instances, women are being forced to choose between working and being the full time homemaker. Then, the type of jobs single heads of household can get depends on their level of education.