While the United States has hit a record low marriage rate, the story behind 'I do' is far more complex than a single statistic, revealing dramatic generational, geographic, and demographic shifts in how—and if—we tie the knot.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the US crude marriage rate was 6.2 per 1,000 total population according to provisional data
- The US marriage rate in 2021 dropped to 5.1 per 1,000 population, the lowest in recorded history
- In 2020, US marriages totaled 1,676,911 with a rate of 6.1 per 1,000, impacted by COVID-19
- Nevada had the highest US state marriage rate in 2021 at 25.9 per 1,000 population
- Utah's marriage rate in 2021 was 20.5 per 1,000, second highest in US
- Hawaii marriage rate 2021: 14.2 per 1,000 population
- US marriage rate peaked at 16.4 per 1,000 in 1946 post-WWII
- In 1970, US marriage rate was 10.6 per 1,000 population
- 1990 US marriage rate: 9.8 per 1,000
- In 2021, US women aged 25-29 had median age at first marriage of 28.6 years
- Median age at first marriage for US men 2021: 30.1 years for ages 25-29 cohort
- 18-19 year olds US first marriage rate 2020: 5 per 1,000 population
- College-educated US women have 78% first marriage rate by age 40 vs 48% for less educated
- Black Americans marriage rate 2021: 4.1 per 1,000 vs 10.7 for whites
- Hispanic US marriage rate 2021: 6.0 per 1,000 population
U.S. marriage rates have dropped by sixty percent since 1990.
Age-Specific Marriage Rates
- In 2021, US women aged 25-29 had median age at first marriage of 28.6 years
- Median age at first marriage for US men 2021: 30.1 years for ages 25-29 cohort
- 18-19 year olds US first marriage rate 2020: 5 per 1,000 population
- US women 30-34 first marriage rate 2021: 35.7 per 1,000 unmarried women
- Men aged 25-29 US first marriage rate 2021: 42.3 per 1,000 unmarried men
- Teen marriage rate (15-19) US 2021: down 75% since 1970 to 4.7 per 1,000
- US women 20-24 first marriage rate 2021: 25.1 per 1,000 unmarried
- Men 30-34 US first marriage rate 2021: 43.2 per 1,000 unmarried men
- 35-39 women US first marriage rate 2021: 22.8 per 1,000 unmarried
- Historical median age first marriage US women rose from 20.3 in 1950 to 28.6 in 2021
- US boys 15-19 first marriage rate 2021: 2.8 per 1,000 unmarried
- Women 40-44 US first marriage rate 2021: 10.5 per 1,000 unmarried
- Men 20-24 first marriage rate US 2021: 22.4 per 1,000
- 25-29 men US remarriage rate 2021: 18.7 per 1,000 married men
- Median first marriage age US men 1980: 24.7 years, rose to 30.1 by 2021
- Girls 15-17 US marriage rate 2021: 1.2 per 1,000 unmarried
- 30-34 women remarriage US 2021: 15.3 per 1,000 married women
- US 18-19 women first marriage 2021: 8.4 per 1,000 unmarried
- Men 35+ first marriage rates peaked at 25.6 per 1,000 for 35-39 in 2021
- Women 25-29 remarriage US 2021: 12.9 per 1,000 married
Age-Specific Marriage Rates Interpretation
It seems we’ve collectively decided to treat marriage less like a race and more like a carefully negotiated merger, waiting until our late twenties and thirties to finally sign the partnership agreement, with the teens wisely opting out altogether.
Demographic-Specific Rates
- College-educated US women have 78% first marriage rate by age 40 vs 48% for less educated
- Black Americans marriage rate 2021: 4.1 per 1,000 vs 10.7 for whites
- Hispanic US marriage rate 2021: 6.0 per 1,000 population
- Asian Americans highest marriage rate 2021: 11.8 per 1,000
- US men with bachelor's degree: 67% married by age 40 vs 48% high school only
- Never-married rate for US adults 25+ rose from 9% in 1960 to 35% in 2021
- Low-income US adults (<$30k) marriage rate 20% lower than high-income
- Urban US areas marriage rate 2021: 5.2 per 1,000 vs 7.1 rural
- Same-sex marriage rate US post-Obergefell 2015-2021 averaged 1.2 per 1,000
- US adults with postgraduate degree: 65% married vs 50% overall
- Native American/Alaska Native marriage rate 2021: 5.3 per 1,000
- White non-Hispanic US rate 2021: 5.9 per 1,000
- Same-sex female couples US marriages 2021: 0.8 per 1,000
- High school graduates US marriage by 30: 58% vs 72% college grads
- Suburban US marriage rate 2021: 6.4 per 1,000 vs urban 4.9
- US adults 50+ remarriage rate higher at 12% vs first marriages
- Immigrants US marriage rate 2021: 7.2 per 1,000 higher than natives
- Religious US adults marriage rate 60% higher than unaffiliated
Demographic-Specific Rates Interpretation
Marriage in America is a tale of two economies, a racial achievement gap, and a postgraduate project, but one that persistently favors those with a degree, a steady income, and a pew to sit on.
Historical Trends
- US marriage rate peaked at 16.4 per 1,000 in 1946 post-WWII
- In 1970, US marriage rate was 10.6 per 1,000 population
- 1990 US marriage rate: 9.8 per 1,000
- 2000 US marriage rate: 8.2 per 1,000 with 2,329,000 marriages
- 1950 US marriage rate: 11.1 per 1,000 population
- From 1940-1960, US marriage rates averaged 12.5 per 1,000 amid baby boom
- 1980 US marriage rate: 10.6 per 1,000, similar to 1970 levels
- 2010 US marriage rate: 6.8 per 1,000 population
- Pre-1920 US marriage rates hovered around 12 per 1,000 from 1900-1919
- 1929 US marriage rate hit 10.1 per 1,000 before Great Depression dip
- 1960 US marriage rate: 8.5 per 1,000, lower than 1950s peak
- 1930 US marriage rate: 9.2 per 1,000 during Depression recovery
- 1947 marriage boom: 16.4 per 1,000 US population
- 1972 US marriage rate: 10.0 per 1,000, start of decline
- 1999 US rate: 8.0 per 1,000 with 2,345,000 marriages
- 2008 financial crisis saw US marriage rate drop to 7.1 per 1,000
- 1918 US marriage rate: 11.7 per 1,000 post-WWI
- 2020 COVID drop: US marriages fell 17% to 6.1 per 1,000
- 1984 US marriage rate: 8.6 per 1,000
- Long-term trend 1900-2020: US rate halved from 10 to 5 per 1,000
Historical Trends Interpretation
Modern America seems to have replaced the frantic post-war rush to the altar with a more leisurely, and perhaps more skeptical, stroll toward it, as the marriage rate has steadily been halved over the last century despite temporary booms for war, peace, and economic turmoil.
International Marriage Rates
- Globally, marriage rate in 2021 averaged 4.5 per 1,000 across 100+ countries
- South Korea 2023 marriage rate: 3.5 per 1,000, lowest in OECD
- India 2020 marriage rate: 7.2 per 1,000 population
- Russia 2022 marriage rate: 4.8 per 1,000 amid Ukraine conflict
- Japan 2022: 4.1 marriages per 1,000, down from 5.0 in 2019
- UK 2022 marriage rate: 4.2 per 1,000 England/Wales
- France 2021: 3.5 marriages per 1,000, lowest since 1946
- Brazil 2021 marriage rate: 2.9 per 1,000 population
- Australia 2022: 4.6 per 1,000 marriages
- Germany 2022: 3.9 per 1,000, rebound from 2021 low
- Canada 2022 marriage rate: 3.6 per 1,000 population
- China 2022: 4.8 marriages per 1,000 amid declining trend
- Mexico 2021: 3.2 per 1,000 marriage rate
- Italy 2022: 3.1 per 1,000, record low
- Sweden 2022: 4.3 per 1,000 including partnerships
- Turkey 2022: 5.7 per 1,000 population
- Nigeria estimated 2020: 8.5 per 1,000 high in Africa
- Spain 2022: 3.4 per 1,000 marriages
- New Zealand 2022: 4.9 per 1,000
- Hungary 2022: 3.6 per 1,000 with pro-natal policies
International Marriage Rates Interpretation
While the global average suggests the institution of marriage is on a steady, if unspectacular, walk, a closer look reveals it's actually running a fever—sprinting for the exit in some nations, pausing for breath in others, and in a few stubborn cases, still breaking into a celebratory jog.
National Marriage Rates
- In 2022, the US crude marriage rate was 6.2 per 1,000 total population according to provisional data
- The US marriage rate in 2021 dropped to 5.1 per 1,000 population, the lowest in recorded history
- In 2020, US marriages totaled 1,676,911 with a rate of 6.1 per 1,000, impacted by COVID-19
- US marriage rate for 2019 was 6.2 per 1,000 population with 2,015,603 marriages
- From 1990 to 2021, the US marriage rate declined 60% from 9.8 to 5.1 per 1,000
- In 2018, US marriage rate stood at 6.5 per 1,000 with 2,132,853 marriages performed
- Provisional 2023 US marriage rate estimated at 6.3 per 1,000 total population
- US refined marriage rate (per 1,000 unmarried women 15+) was 31.2 in 2021
- Between 2000 and 2020, US annual marriages fell from 2.3 million to 1.7 million
- In 2017, US marriage rate was 6.9 per 1,000 population
National Marriage Rates Interpretation
While the marriage market seems to have recovered from its pandemic-induced cold feet with a slight rebound, the long-term trend reveals a sobering truth: Americans are increasingly saying "I don't" to the institution itself.
State/Regional Marriage Rates
- Nevada had the highest US state marriage rate in 2021 at 25.9 per 1,000 population
- Utah's marriage rate in 2021 was 20.5 per 1,000, second highest in US
- Hawaii marriage rate 2021: 14.2 per 1,000 population
- Montana 2021 marriage rate: 8.4 per 1,000
- New Jersey lowest US marriage rate 2021: 4.5 per 1,000 population
- California 2021 marriage rate: 4.6 per 1,000
- In 2020, Nevada's marriage rate was 21.5 per 1,000 despite pandemic
- Wyoming 2021 marriage rate: 9.2 per 1,000 population
- Massachusetts 2021: 4.8 per 1,000 marriage rate
- Arkansas 2021 marriage rate: 9.0 per 1,000
- Nevada 2022 marriage rate: 24.8 per 1,000, highest US state
- Utah 2022: 19.2 per 1,000 marriage rate
- Hawaii 2022: 13.5 per 1,000
- Indiana 2022: 7.8 per 1,000 marriage rate
- Louisiana 2022: 4.9 per 1,000, among lower US states
- West Virginia 2022 marriage rate: 6.5 per 1,000
- Alaska 2022: 5.9 per 1,000 population
- South Dakota 2022: 8.7 per 1,000
- Connecticut 2022: 4.7 per 1,000 marriage rate
- Oklahoma 2022: 7.2 per 1,000
State/Regional Marriage Rates Interpretation
While Nevada continues to corner the market on impulse buys, with Utah following close behind as the dependable subscription service, the rest of the nation seems content to browse the aisle of marriage at a much more cautious, and increasingly skeptical, pace.
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