While Nevada’s wedding chapels remain busy with a rate of 25.9 per 1,000, the broader American march toward the altar has slowed to a historic crawl, with the national marriage rate dropping from a post-WWII peak of 16.4 to just 6.2 per 1,000 in 2022.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the U.S. marriage rate stood at 6.2 per 1,000 total population, marking a decline from 8.2 per 1,000 in 2000.
- The marriage rate in the United States dropped to 6.0 per 1,000 population in 2021 from 5.1 in 2020 amid pandemic effects.
- Between 2010 and 2022, the annual marriage rate averaged 6.5 per 1,000, reflecting a steady downward trend since the 1990s peak of 9.8.
- The U.S. divorce rate fell to 2.4 per 1,000 population in 2022, lowest since 1970.
- In 2021, there were 689,308 divorces in the U.S., equating to 2.5 per 1,000.
- Divorce rates halved from 5.3 per 1,000 in 1981 to 2.7 in 2019.
- In 2022, 50.1% of U.S. adults aged 18+ were married, down from 72% in 1960.
- Among adults 25-54, 53% were married in 2022.
- 34% of U.S. adults have never been married as of 2023, up from 23% in 1990.
- Median age at first marriage for men rose to 30.2 years in 2022 from 26.1 in 2000.
- Women’s median age at first marriage reached 28.6 years in 2022, up from 25.1 in 2000.
- In 1970, median age for men at first marriage was 23.2 years, women 20.8.
- 69% of long-term married couples (50+ years) report high satisfaction.
- 73% of married Americans say they are very satisfied with their marriage in 2023.
- Satisfaction peaks at 76% for marriages lasting 50+ years.
American marriage rates have been steadily declining since the post-World War II peak.
Age at Marriage
- Median age at first marriage for men rose to 30.2 years in 2022 from 26.1 in 2000.
- Women’s median age at first marriage reached 28.6 years in 2022, up from 25.1 in 2000.
- In 1970, median age for men at first marriage was 23.2 years, women 20.8.
- By age 30, 60% of women born in 1990 had married vs. 74% for 1980 cohort.
- 50% of men born 1980-1984 married by age 30, delayed to age 32 for 1990s cohort.
- College graduates marry at median 30.3 for men, 28.0 for women in 2021.
- High school graduates marry at 26.3 men, 23.5 women median age.
- Black women marry at median 31.5 years vs. 27.5 for White women in 2021.
- Hispanic women median first marriage age is 27.2 years in 2021.
- Asian women marry latest at 30.8 years median in 2021.
- 80% of women marry by age 40, but only 50% by age 25 in recent cohorts.
- Men’s first marriage age increased 3.5 years from 1960 (22.8) to 2022 (30.2).
- Women born 1940 married by 21.9 median, 1980 cohort by 25.3, 1995 by 28.6.
- Duration from first sex to marriage averaged 8.5 years for recent cohorts.
- Cohabitation precedes 70% of first marriages, delaying formal marriage by 2 years.
- 30% of first marriages occur before age 25, down from 60% in 1970.
- Marriages after age 35 have 24% lower divorce risk in first 10 years.
- Urban women marry 1.5 years later than rural at median 29.2 vs. 27.7.
- Northeast region median first marriage age highest at 29.8 for women.
- South has earliest marriage age at 27.1 for women median.
- 67% of 25-34 year olds were single in 2022, highest on record.
Age at Marriage Interpretation
We've collectively decided that adulthood now requires a more extensive beta test, swapping starter marriages for starter apartments and cohabitation agreements, which is why the aisle is looking a bit longer these days.
Divorce Rates
- The U.S. divorce rate fell to 2.4 per 1,000 population in 2022, lowest since 1970.
- In 2021, there were 689,308 divorces in the U.S., equating to 2.5 per 1,000.
- Divorce rates halved from 5.3 per 1,000 in 1981 to 2.7 in 2019.
- From 2010-2022, the average annual divorce rate was 2.6 per 1,000 population.
- Nevada's divorce rate was highest at 4.2 per 1,000 in 2022.
- Massachusetts had the lowest divorce rate at 1.0 per 1,000 in 2022.
- The U.S. divorce rate peaked at 5.3 per 1,000 in 1981 during the divorce revolution.
- 42% of first marriages end in divorce within 20 years for women aged 15-44.
- Second marriages have a 60% divorce rate within 10 years.
- Third marriages divorce at 73% rate within 10 years.
- In 2020, divorces dropped 19% to 630,505 due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
- Gray divorce (over age 50) rates doubled from 1990 to 2010, reaching 25% for that cohort.
- Divorce rates for college-educated couples fell to 11% within 10 years vs. 37% for less educated.
- 48% of Hispanic women experience divorce in first 20 years of marriage.
- Black women have a 53% first-marriage divorce rate within 15 years.
- White women's first-marriage divorce rate is 38% within 20 years.
- January and March are peak divorce filing months, with 11.4% and 10.9% respectively in 2022.
- December has the fewest divorces at 6.5% annually.
- 25% of divorces in 2019 were granted after marriages lasting less than 5 years.
- Couples married 40+ years represent only 5% of divorces.
Divorce Rates Interpretation
While America's marriages appear more stable on the surface, the story is less a triumph of lasting love than a complex cocktail of fewer people marrying, stark demographic divides, and a growing number of couples simply giving up on the institution altogether.
Marital Satisfaction
- 69% of long-term married couples (50+ years) report high satisfaction.
- 73% of married Americans say they are very satisfied with their marriage in 2023.
- Satisfaction peaks at 76% for marriages lasting 50+ years.
- Only 17% of married parents under 30 report high satisfaction vs. 69% over 55.
- Married men report 25% higher life satisfaction than single men.
- 62% of wives report spousal emotional support daily vs. 48% husbands.
- 88% of married couples communicate daily about personal feelings.
- Divorcees report 40% lower happiness post-divorce than pre-marriage levels.
- Married individuals have 20% lower depression rates than unmarried.
- 75% of married Americans say marriage is essential for a fulfilling life.
- Satisfaction drops to 55% if wife earns more than husband.
- Dual-income married couples report 68% satisfaction vs. 82% traditional.
- 90% of couples married 10+ years report love for spouse.
- Childless marriages have 10% higher satisfaction than parent couples.
- Religious couples report 78% marital happiness vs. 65% secular.
- 65% of marriages survive infidelity with counseling.
- Frequent sex correlates with 15% higher satisfaction in marriage.
- Date nights weekly boost satisfaction by 20%.
- 80% of highly satisfied couples share chores equally.
- 94% of married mothers with children under 18 feel family life is close to ideal.
- Married people live 10 years longer on average than never-married.
- 57% of remarried report same or higher satisfaction as first marriage.
- Satisfaction in marriage predicts 30% variance in overall life happiness.
- 70% of Americans desire marriage for love and companionship primary reasons.
- In 2023, 81% of married Republicans reported thriving vs. 59% Democrats.
- 45% of married women aged 18-29 earn more than husbands in 2023.
Marital Satisfaction Interpretation
Despite the messy statistics suggesting marriage is a complicated cocktail of love, money, politics, chores, and sex, it appears that sticking it out for the long haul—while learning to communicate and share the emotional heavy lifting—generally leads to a happier and longer life, even if the path there is rarely a perfectly equal or ideal one.
Marriage Demographics
- In 2022, 50.1% of U.S. adults aged 18+ were married, down from 72% in 1960.
- Among adults 25-54, 53% were married in 2022.
- 34% of U.S. adults have never been married as of 2023, up from 23% in 1990.
- College-educated adults are 65% likely to be married by age 40 vs. 50% for non-college.
- 62% of Asian adults are married, highest among racial groups in 2022.
- Only 41% of Black adults were married in 2022, lowest rate.
- 52% of White non-Hispanic adults were married in 2022.
- 48% of Hispanic adults were married in 2022.
- 55% of men aged 18+ were married in 2022 vs. 45% of women.
- Women are more likely to be widowed (11% vs. 3% for men) in 2022.
- 16% of married adults were in interracial marriages in 2022.
- 12% of married couples were cohabiting before marriage in early data, now over 50%.
- 40% of married couples have children under 18 in the home as of 2021.
- Median income for married-couple households was $106,880 in 2022.
- Single-mother households median income was $42,160 vs. married $106,880 in 2022.
- 87% of married couples own their home vs. 56% unmarried in 2022.
- 71% of U.S. children live with two married parents in 2022.
- 25% of married households are childless by choice or circumstance in 2021.
- The average married couple has 1.9 children in 2022.
- 15% of married couples are both over age 65 in 2022.
Marriage Demographics Interpretation
While marriage has evolved from a near-universal expectation into a more selective institution marked by significant racial, educational, and economic divides, it remains a powerful engine for financial stability and child-rearing, albeit one that fewer Americans are choosing to fuel.
Marriage Rates
- In 2022, the U.S. marriage rate stood at 6.2 per 1,000 total population, marking a decline from 8.2 per 1,000 in 2000.
- The marriage rate in the United States dropped to 6.0 per 1,000 population in 2021 from 5.1 in 2020 amid pandemic effects.
- Between 2010 and 2022, the annual marriage rate averaged 6.5 per 1,000, reflecting a steady downward trend since the 1990s peak of 9.8.
- In 2019, there were 2,015,603 marriages performed in the U.S., equating to about 6.1 per 1,000 population.
- Nevada had the highest marriage rate in 2022 at 25.9 per 1,000 population, driven by Las Vegas weddings.
- Massachusetts recorded the lowest marriage rate in 2022 at 3.5 per 1,000 population.
- From 1900 to 2022, the U.S. marriage rate peaked at 16.4 per 1,000 in 1946 post-WWII.
- The marriage rate for women aged 15-44 was 31.1 per 1,000 in 2010, down from 76.9 in 1970.
- In 2020, interracial marriages accounted for 11% of all new marriages in the U.S.
- Same-sex marriage rates surged post-2015 Obergefell decision, with 7.9% of LGBTQ adults married by 2019.
- The crude marriage rate in Utah was 7.2 per 1,000 in 2021, highest among states excluding Nevada.
- Hawaii's marriage rate was 14.2 per 1,000 in 2022, boosted by destination weddings.
- From 2000-2022, marriages declined by 25% in absolute numbers from 2.3 million to 1.7 million annually.
- The marriage rate among Black Americans was 4.9 per 1,000 in 2018, lowest among racial groups.
- Asian Americans had a marriage rate of 12.5 per 1,000 for women aged 25-44 in 2019.
- In 2022, the U.S. saw 1,774,568 marriages, a 4% increase from 2021's pandemic low.
- The peak marriage month in 2022 was June with 10.5% of annual marriages.
- December had the fewest marriages at 4.2% in 2022 due to holiday timing.
- Remarriage rates contributed 40% of all marriages in the U.S. in 2013.
- First marriages averaged 2.1 million annually from 2010-2019.
Marriage Rates Interpretation
While more Americans are now choosing 'I don't' over 'I do,' the institution of marriage is far from dead, as it remains vigorously alive in Vegas chapels, Hawaii beaches, and in the beautiful diversity of modern love stories.