Rising Share of U.S. Adults Are Living Without a Spouse or Partner
On key economic outcomes, single adults at prime working age increasingly lag behind those who are married or cohabiting
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
On key economic outcomes, single adults at prime working age increasingly lag behind those who are married or cohabiting
In the past 10 years, the share of U.S. adults living without a spouse or partner has climbed to 42%, up from 39% in 2007.
Marriage is back – at least, a little bit, and with some caveats.
The number of Americans who recently wed has been declining for years, and 2011 was no exception, according to estimates from the American Community Survey. An estimated 4.2 million Americans were newlyweds in 2011, about the same as in 2010 and sharply lower than in 2008.
In a reversal of long-standing marital patterns, college-educated young adults are more likely than young adults lacking a bachelor’s degree to have married by the age of 30.
In the past, when relatively few wives worked, marriage enhanced the economic status of women more than that of men. Recently, however, the economic gains associated with marriage have been greater for men.
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