Study: Marriage Rates Are at an All Time Low in America

The majority of Americans are married, but if the recent trend continues, that won’t be true for long. Currently, just 51 percent of United States residents are married, a five percent drop from last year. The other 49 percent of Americans identify as single, cohabitating, widowed or divorced.

Why is the number of married people dropping so significantly? The reason isn’t that divorce is on the rise – on the contrary, divorce rates are also dropping to record lows. One issue is that more young people are waiting longer to get married. The average age for women is now around 26, and the average age for men is now around 28. At the same time, more couples are choosing to live together and even start families without saying, “I do.”

While it may be easy to say that marriage is simply not a strong institution these days, it is important to consider that waiting longer to choose the right partner may be a significant factor in the current low divorce rate. However, it is also important to consider that cohabitating parents who aren’t married are more likely to part ways than couples who tie the knot before starting a family.

Molly Kenny is a Bellevue family law attorney specializing in divorce, child custody, property division, mediation, and domestic violence issues. Call today to schedule a free, private consultation with a knowledgeable, experienced Washington State divorce attorney.