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June 18, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The U.S. marriage rate for 18-34 year-olds is at its lowest in over a century, according to a report by Demographic Intelligence (DI) of Charlottesville.  

However, the report projects the country will experience a temporary 4% increase in weddings this year, up from the historically low rate of 6.8 marriages per 1,000 in population, which has held since 2009. The predicted growth is expected to be among women aged 25-34, and college-educated and affluent people.

DI reports that marriage rates dropped 5% during the recession, and its data confirms the correlation between financial security and readiness for marriage. 

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“More people are living together and people are delaying marriage because of the economy,” said Sam Sturgeon of DI. “Men don’t make very attractive marriage partners if they don’t have a job.” 

According to the report, marriage fell most among less educated and young women in the wake of the recession. The report projects that marriage fell, from 2008 to 2013, almost 12 percent among women with a high school degree or less. Marriage also fell almost 8 percent among women aged 24 and younger over this period. 

“Clearly, younger and less-educated women have been hit hardest by the recession and it shows in their marriage patterns,” said Sturgeon. 

However, the group said that even with growth in the young adult population, the rate is predicted to drop again at the end of the decade due to “the nation’s ongoing retreat from marriage.” 

The United States has been experiencing a long-term decline in marriage rates over the past several decades. Meanwhile, cohabitation rates are up significantly.  In 1970 there were only about half a million cohabiting couples. That has since risen to seven and a half million.

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