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Marriage & Divorce
Marriage and Cohabitation in the U.S.
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.
In the pandemic, the share of unpartnered moms at work fell more sharply than among other parents
Polygamy is rare around the world and mostly confined to a few regions
As family structures change in U.S., a growing share of Americans say it makes no difference
All Marriage & Divorce Publications
How Catholics around the world see same-sex marriage, homosexuality
Pope Francis made news recently by voicing his support for same-sex civil unions. The statement struck observers as a shift for the Vatican.
The Global Divide on Homosexuality Persists
Despite major changes in laws and norms surrounding the issue of same-sex marriage and the rights of LGBT people around the world, public opinion on the acceptance of homosexuality in society remains sharply divided by country, region and economic development.
As Millennials Near 40, They’re Approaching Family Life Differently Than Previous Generations
Three-in-ten Millennials live with a spouse and child, compared with 40% of Gen Xers at a comparable age.
About half of never-married Americans have used an online dating site or app
Three-in-ten U.S. adults say they have used a dating app or site, but the share of Americans who have done so differs sharply by marital status.
Older people are more likely to live alone in the U.S. than elsewhere in the world
In the United States, 27% of adults ages 60 and older live alone, compared with 16% of adults in the 130 countries and territories studied.
More than half of Americans say marriage is important but not essential to leading a fulfilling life
What do Americans consider more important to leading a fulfilling life than marriage? They’re much more likely to point to career enjoyment.
Globally, women are younger than their male partners, more likely to age alone
Globally, women are younger than their male partners. They also are more likely to age alone and to live in single-parent households.
U.S. has changed in key ways in the past decade, from tech use to demographics
Among the changes: Smartphones and social media became the norm, church attendance fell, and same-sex marriage and legalizing marijuana gained support.
U.S. has world’s highest rate of children living in single-parent households
Almost a quarter of U.S. children under 18 live with one parent and no other adults, more than three times the share of children around the world who do so.
Key findings on marriage and cohabitation in the U.S.
As marriage rates have declined, the share of U.S. adults who have ever lived with an unmarried partner has risen.
