The series was originally ordered as a pilot under the working title 'The Second Fattest Housewife In Westport' before being renamed American Housewife.

Johnny Sequoyah originally played Taylor Otto in the pilot, but was replaced by Meg Donnelly when the series moved forward, with the change announced on June 27, 2016.

Julia Butters left the show ahead of season five reportedly to pursue other opportunities, and her role of Anna-Kat was recast with Giselle Eisenberg.

Production on season four was shut down on March 14, 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19, cutting the season from a planned 21 episodes down to 20.

The show's fifth season ended with multiple unresolved cliffhangers because ABC's cancellation of the series in May 2021 came somewhat unexpectedly.

An episode featuring a character dressed as a 'pregnant Norwalk prom girl,' along with several other jokes mocking the real Connecticut city of Norwalk, sparked backlash from residents and officials, leading to a petition with over 500 signatures and a Disney statement promising to omit future mentions of the city.

Carly Hughes left the series ahead of season five citing a toxic work environment and racial discrimination, which prompted an ABC investigation resulting in creator Sarah Dunn losing her active producing role, line producer Mark J. Greenberg stepping down, and showrunners Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz undergoing sensitivity training.