Is Marriage Making a Come Back? Scholars Share Some Good News
July 30, 2025
Nearly all indicators on marriage and married birthrates in America have been moving in the wrong direction over the last few decades. Marriage rates have been declining steadily, 54% overall since 1900. Matrimony has declined markedly among younger adults since 1980. Married births dropped precipitously over this same time compared to growth in births from single and cohabiting mothers. Additionally, cohabitation shot up over the last 40 years, with a shocking 80% of marriages today being preceded by cohabitation.
People are also waiting longer to marry, with age at first marriage increasing to 31 for men and 29 for women. These numbers were 23 for men and 20 for women in 1950.
