Mapping Declining US Marriage Rates

As we think about the health of family in the United States, we must understand the nature of family formation trends. What decisions are Americans making about their intimate lives, living situations and the kinds of relationships they are choosing to develop?

Marriage is the mortar that holds a healthy, thriving, growing community together. That is a fundamental sociological truth. When marriage declines, family declines. When family declines, children, women, men and society itself suffers.

So, we must ask “Is marriage growing or declining in America today?” The stats are clear and it is not an encouraging story. Following is an offering of some of the best and most recent academic and government sources tracking marriage formation trends using various measures.

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