Bakersfield listed as one of the 'Toughest Cities to Be a Single Mom'

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — If you're a single mom, Bakersfield is the toughest city to live in, that's according to new research from 24/7 Wall Street.

The online publication has released its "Toughest Cities to Be a Single Mom" and Bakersfield has taken the number 9 spot.

24/7 Wall Street said it based their ranking on the following:

• Hrs./week for typical single mother to afford rent: 84.3 hours

• Market rent for two-bedroom apt.: $926

• Median income for single mother household: $20,041

• Share of 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in school: 34.4%

The study also said, "In Bakersfield, a single mother earning the average wage would have to work 84.3 hours a week to afford the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment and still have income left over for necessities, one of the longer workweeks of any metro area."

24/7 Wall Street said its research showed that "Bakersfield also has one of the worst job markets in the country. Just 72.1% of single mothers are in the labor force, nearly the lowest participation rate of any city. Some 8.0% of the labor force is unemployed, more than double the 3.7% national unemployment rate."