Top Towns For Single Moms

It’s not easy being a mom, but single moms have it especially tough. Between managing work, caring for the house, financial commitments, and extracurricular activities while raising kid(s) alone is no easy task.

In honor of Mother’s Day, we put our data and analytical minds to work to determine where are the best places for single moms to live. In coming up with the list, “10 Best Places for Single Moms to Live,” we considered both economic and lifestyle factors that impact single moms across the country.

Zillow analyzed it's Zillow Home Value Index to measure affordability; Census Bureau data on women's annual earnings as a percentage of men's earnings to find places where women had an opportunity to really bring home the bacon; public education spending per student to find good schools; FBI violent crime rates to build safety into the choices and Walk Scores to find livability and car-free commute ease.

"While these cities are also nice places to be a parent of any type -- mom, dad, married, or single -- this list was designed to give particular emphasis to the needs of single moms by identifying communities that are financially advantageous, safe, convenient, and conducive to raising children in the public school system," Zillow reports.

Here's a close of the top three Zillow's "10 Best Places for Single Moms to Live" and the rest of the list.

• 1. Rochester, NY. Rochester comes with affordability, a strong job market and solid schools. The median price in the Rochester metro area is $116,000, down 3.9 percent from last year. Wegmans, Strong Memorial Hospital, and institutions like the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology provide steady employment opportunities and skilled workers.

• 2. Port St. Lucie, FL. Port St. Lucie offers women one of the best opportunities to earn a competitive income, compared to men. Affordable housing -- $106,600 median -- is another bonus.

• 3. Bakersfield, CA. The population in Bakersfield has more than tripled over the past three decades, and the community scored in the top third for education spending per pupil. Increasing rates of foreclosures and declining home values make it possible for qualified buyers to negotiate good deal on a home, Zillow said.

Here's the full "10 Best Places for Single Moms to Live".