The Current State of Marriage in the United States

 Posted on March 08, 2021 in Family Law

Over the past several years, the divorce rate in the United States has been decreasing. In 2019, the rate was a record low, with only 15 out of every 1,000 marriages ending in divorce. This was the lowest rate of divorce this country has seen since 1970. Not only has the divorce rate been dropping, but the median duration of marriages has also increased by almost one year in the past decade. In 2010, the median length of a marriage in the United States was 19 years. In 2019, the length was up to 19.8 years. Below is a look at some of the reasons for these statistics.

Rates of Marriages and Divorces

It is projected that the divorce rate will continue to drop, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Last March, when the pandemic first hit this country and states shut down, early projections were that that stress caused by couples and families being locked down together would cause divorce rates to spike. And while there were couples whose marriages did not survive this forced “together” time, data collected reveals that the pandemic actually resulted in many couples becoming closer. In fact, in one major survey, more than half of the 3,000 people surveyed said that the pandemic had strengthened their relationships with their spouse, they had found their commitment to their marriage had deepened and made them appreciate their spouse more than they had before.

But while the rate of divorce may be dropping, so too is the rate of marriage. The marriage rate also hit an all-time low in 2019. For every 1,000 unmarried adults, only 33 of them got married that year. Fifty years ago, that number was 86 out of every 1,000.

So, what is causing this “marriage divide?” There are a variety of reasons, many depending on economic status. Some of the factors that come into play include:

• College-educated and economically stable individuals are more like to get married and stay married.

• Non-college-educated and economically unstable individuals struggle more with family instability. There is also a higher rate of singleness.

To demonstrate how these two factors likely affect a person’s marital status, consider these two statistics from 2018:

• Approximately 65 percent of people who are in the third-highest income bracket in this country have only been married once and are still married.

• Approximately 25 percent of people who are in the third-lowest income bracket have only been married once and are still married.

Do You Need a Kane County Family Law Attorney?

Whether you are one of those couples who have decided to get divorced, or you are a couple who have decided to get married, the seasoned St. Charles family lawyers at Weiler & Associates, P.C. can help. If you are considering a divorce, our firm can guide you through the entire process, including child custody and support issues, property division, and spousal support. If you are thinking about getting married, we can draft a comprehensive prenuptial agreement to ensure you are protected no matter what the future may bring. Call our office today at 630-331-9110 to schedule a confidential consultation with a member of our skilled legal team.

Sources:

https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/marriage-divorce-rates-by-state-2009-2019.html

https://www.deseret.com/pages/american-family-survey-reports

https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-marriage-divide-how-and-why-working-class-families-are-more-fragile-today