A record-high share of 40-year-olds in the U.S. have never been married
As of 2021, 25% of 40-year-olds in the United States had never been married, a significant increase from 20% in 2010.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
As of 2021, 25% of 40-year-olds in the United States had never been married, a significant increase from 20% in 2010.
Americans are more pessimistic than optimistic about the institution of marriage and the family. At the same time, the public is fairly accepting of diverse family arrangements, though some are seen as more acceptable than others.
Younger women, women with a postgraduate degree and Democratic women are more likely to keep their last name after marriage.
Among adults ages 18 to 34, 69% of those who have never been married say they want to get married one day.
Among married couples in the United States, women’s financial contributions have grown steadily over the last half century. Even when earnings are similar, husbands spend more time on paid work and leisure, while wives devote more time to caregiving and housework.
47% of U.S. adults say single women raising children on their own is generally a bad thing for society, an increase of 7 points since 2018.
On key economic outcomes, single adults at prime working age increasingly lag behind those who are married or cohabiting
A majority of women say they have experienced harassing behavior from someone they went on a date with.
What do Americans consider more important to leading a fulfilling life than marriage? They’re much more likely to point to career enjoyment.
As more U.S. adults are delaying marriage – or forgoing it altogether – the share who have ever lived with an unmarried partner has been on the rise.
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