Mothers are more likely to have a clear sense of purpose in their lives, according to a new report by the Institute of Family Studies and the Wheatley Institute.

This aligns with past research which consistently shows mothers pulling ahead on a number of well-being metrics. That is despite a popular narrative that single women without children are happier than married mothers.

Data from the Women’s Well-Being Survey (WWS) of 3,000 U.S. women, ages 25 to 55, conducted by YouGov in early March 2025, showed that 28% of married mothers strongly agreed that their life has a clear sense of purpose, and 25% of unmarried mothers reported the same. This compares to 14% of married childless women and 16% of unmarried childless women on the same metric.

These findings square with research that shows, across the world, parents are more likely to report having a meaningful life.