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It is all to do with affluence. These days many women in the US can afford to live alone and live well too, but it is doubtful if this is a preferred mode of living for more than a small number.
That old saying "two can live as cheaply as one" is not really true, but has an element of truth when it comes to paying for a mortgage, furnishings, or utilities.
Bringing up children alone is something that few women will do by choice, though many end up that way anyway.
Going on vacation alone has its problems too, as most things are geared towards couples. Of course you can go with friends or in groups too, but in general a room is cheaper when shared with someone else.
Living alone also requires a certain amount of self discipline. My grandmother, in her last years lived alone and even when serving her lunch, would transfer vegetables into a serving dish on the table, before placing them on her plate. No one these days would be so meticulous, but there remains a general temptation to fall into slovenliness when it is only you.
