Most people assume motherhood and the life of wives is one of drudgery, endless chores and meeting the needs of others. Few believe married motherhood leads to greater happiness. We presume it’s the carefree, single girls – not tied down by children or wedlock – who are having all the fun and fulfillment.
But is this really true? Daily Citizen has addressed this question often, here, here, here and here. The fact is, married moms are the happiest and most contented in life compared to their unmarried and childless peers.
A new report from the great scholars at the Institute for Family Studies, led by San Diego State University’s Jean W. Twenge, further demonstrates how true this fact is. In fielding the Women’s Well-Being Survey (WWS) of 3,000 U.S. women in early March, these family scholars sought to understand why married mothers are the happiest among women.
This team reports, “Consistent with previous surveys, our new survey finds that married mothers are happier than unmarried women or women without children.”
In fact, they found, “Nearly twice as many married mothers say they are ‘very happy’ as unmarried women without children.”
Remarkably, 47% of married mothers report their “life is enjoyable most or all of the time.” Forty-three percent of married women without children indicated this was true. Only 40% of unmarried mothers and 34% of unmarried women without children said their life was highly enjoyable.
This research team then asked: Why are married mothers happier than their peers? They assert, “Both marriage and motherhood appear to play a role, though in different ways.” There are three factors at work here. Married mothers benefit from greater social connection, increased benefit from physical touch and having a greater sense of significant meaning and purpose in life.
Greater Social Connection
Twenge and her team report “married women are only about half as likely as unmarried women to often feel lonely.” Specifically, they note, “Our survey finds that married women are markedly less likely to feel lonely: 11% of married mothers and 9% of married women without children feel lonely most or all of the time, compared to 23% of unmarried mothers and 20% of unmarried childless women” [emphasis added].
Their data show married mothers “are just as likely to say they feel satisfied with their number of friends as other women.” Thus, social connection appears to be richer and more rewarding among married moms, compared to their peers in all other relational situations.
Greater Physical Touch
Additionally, this research notes that greater physical intimacy – in terms of hugs, holding hands and welcoming kisses – provided by a husband and children boosts overall happiness and contentedness in life. They state, “In the WWS, married women (both with and without children) report significantly higher levels of touch than unmarried women” [emphasis added]. Fifty-one percent of married mothers received satisfying levels of physical affection while only 17% of unmarried childless women did.
Fifty-eight percent of married mothers report, “Most days I get a hug and a kiss” while only 18% of spouseless and childless women indicate this was true for them. Twenge’s team contends, “Thus, one factor that explains why married women are happier than their unmarried peers is that they have more regular opportunities for kissing, hugging, and snuggling.”
Greater Meaning and Purpose in Life
A final characteristic driving greater happiness in married moms is finding markedly more meaning and purpose in life. WWS survey data shows married women with children are “most likely to report a clear purpose in life” believing that “what I do in life is valuable and worthwhile.” Thirty-three percent of married moms indicate this, while only 20% of unmarried childless women do. Add to this the fact that 49% of married mothers say their “life feels meaningful all or most of the time” while only 32% of unmarried women without kids do.
These researchers also found that yes, motherhood comes with challenges. “Mothers are more likely than non-mothers to feel overwhelmed and exhausted each day.” Married and unmarried mothers also say they have less time for themselves. But this report holds, “Yet, as we have shown, married mothers simultaneously report greater happiness, meaning and purpose.”
Happiness and contentedness are not life goals one runs directly toward. They are the fruit of giving our lives to others, namely a spouse and our children. That is the wonder of family. These scholars end with this strong statement,
Contrary to the common narrative that women who marry and have children are unhappy, the 2025 Women’s Well-Being Survey finds that married mothers are happier than women who are unmarried and women who do not have children. Marriage appears to offer a stabilizing and supportive context that lifts the burdens of motherhood, while strengthening happiness, connection, and meaning.
More young women should know about important, well-documented research findings like this and stop listening to a culture that has it precisely wrong. Happiness and satisfaction are possible and they are more likely to be found in marriage and motherhood.
Related Articles and Resources
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Don’t Believe the Modern Myth. Marriage Remains Good for Women
Don’t Believe the Modern Myth. Marriage Remains Good for Men.
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