What Moms Really Need (Hint: It's Not Flowers)
New polling reveals what Americans really think about motherhood today
They nurture us. They guide us. They teach us, comfort us, advocate for us, and shape our worlds with their boundless care. Mothers—whether by birth, adoption, fostering, step-parenting, or guardianship—stand at the center of our families and communities.
Yet our new nationwide poll reveals that most people perceive motherhood in America as increasingly demanding, with diminishing structural support.
More Expected, Less Respected? While 69% of Americans believe mothers today face greater pressure than previous generations, only 28% think society actually values mothers more.
Who Sees A Struggle? Almost Everyone.
The perception of mothers' burdens cuts across nearly every demographic group:
Women who live it: 73% believe that motherhood is more stressful today (compared to 63% of men)
Black women feeling it most acutely: An overwhelming 85% of Black women, the highest of any group, perceive intense pressures
Even amid political division, a rare consensus emerges: 79% of Democrats, 64% of independents, and 60% of Republicans agree that motherhood is more stressful
The Real Cost of Motherhood
If mothers could have one Mother's Day wish granted, the data suggests it would be economic relief.
Eighty-one percent of Americans agree that financial challenges have made motherhood more difficult, making this the most universally perceived struggle of those we tested.
This isn’t just theory, it’s reality for most women across races: 83% of Black women, 83% of Hispanic women, and 83% of White women report feeling negatively impacted by economic pressures. The U.S. may be one of the most prosperous societies in the history of the world, but women across races overwhelmingly agree that it’s never been tougher to be a mom financially. Men’s responses are similar: 91% of Black men, 79% of Hispanic men, and 78% of White men perceive the economic pressures mothers face today. When childcare costs more than public college tuition and housing consumes an ever-larger portion of family budgets, a brunch reservation hardly makes a dent.
There's No App for That
Enhancements in technology were thought to lighten the load of mothers, but opinions have been mixed on its actual impact. Thirty-nine percent of Americans believe technology has made mothering easier, with women themselves (33%) less convinced than men (46%).
"It Takes a Village" — But Where's the Village?
Ask Americans if mothers have more support today than in previous generations, and you'll get a portrait of a nation seeing two different realities:
37% of women believe support has improved
Black women (34% support has improved) and Hispanic women (30% support has improved) see a support system that's failing them
The partisan gap is striking: 61% of Republicans see improved support while 65% of Democrats see the opposite
Polling was conducted online from May 1-7, 2025. Using Dynamic Online Sampling to attain a representative sample, Change Research polled 1,822 adults nationwide. Post-stratification was performed on age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and 2020 presidential vote. The modeled margin of error is ±2.6 percentage points. Members of the AAPOR Transparency Initiative disclose all relevant details about our research, with the principle that the public should be able to evaluate and understand research-based findings, in order to instill and restore public confidence in survey results.
For more information about this poll or to schedule an interview, contact kimelle@changeresearch.com.
Sumati joined Change Research in November 2021, contributing her expertise in data analytics and social advocacy. Her previous experience encompasses roles such as Coordinator for Research and Data Science at Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and Director of Academic IT at Tougaloo College, a historically black college in Mississippi. Additionally, she serves as co-chair of the Mississippi Alliance for Change. Shaped by her rich cultural heritage—her father an Indian immigrant who inspired her passion for politics, and her mother a dedicated Black public school educator who fostered her advocacy interests—Sumati brings a uniquely diverse lens to her work. Sumati holds an MBA from Walden University, a Bachelors in Software Engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi, and is a Fall 2021 Arena Academy–digital track graduate. Sumati enjoys life in her hometown in Mississippi, where she lives with her family and a lively trio of pets.
Change Research represents the next generation of political polling and opinion research. Change Research’s Dynamic Online Sampling approach provides faster, more representative access to public opinion data on the pressing issues of our time. Change Research is a polling and analytics company dedicated to providing accurate and transparent public opinion research. As members of AAPOR's Transparency Initiative, Change Research discloses all relevant details about its research methodologies.