If you found that title scary, that’s okay. A lot of people get nervous when the word marriage is thrown around. That’s because the marital crisis is real! The number of married people in the US is at an all-time low – as you’ll see, and the numbers aren’t getting any better.
But just why is this happening, and what impact, if any, is this having on relationships? You’ll have to keep reading to find out. Here’s a quick dive into five common reasons why fewer people are tying the knot (or not doing it earlier).
Couples Are Cohabiting Rather than Marrying
Cohabitation has been around for decades, but it’s growing in popularity as an alternative to marriage for couples who want a relationship without legal commitment.
In fact, in only two decades, the number of cohabiting partners in the US has jumped to 17million from only 6 million partners 20 years earlier. Experts say that one reason for this increase is that more people are waiting to get married until they’re older and more financially secure.
Life Insurance Is Increasingly Available for Unmarried Couples
Another reason why marriage rates are at an all-time low is that life insurance policies are available for unmarried couples.
That means that for those who aren’t legally married but live together as if they were married (commonly referred to as common law marriages), they will both be covered in the event of one partner’s death.
Previously, many life insurance companies would refuse to sell coverage to unmarried couples unless they were legally married — or at least living together as a married couple — because they didn’t view them as “real” families, but that is all changing now.
The Societal Pressure to Marry Is Lessening
In past generations, marriage was the end goal for most people. You were expected to find a spouse by a certain age or risk being seen as an “old maid.” However, with fewer people marrying in recent years, there is less pressure to do so.
As a result, today’s young adults are more likely to take their time when choosing a significant other and feel less pressure from society to follow traditional courtship rituals like dating and engagement rings.
More Millennials Are Choosing Not to Marry, Ever
Millennials have a reputation for being commitment-phobic, and the effects of the recent Covid lockdown on relationships made it all the more apparent. Why?
The reasons are varied and complex — some experts say it’s because millennials are waiting longer to get married; others say it’s because they’re looking for a partner with similar values and interests.
The common consensus is that millennials tend to put off life events such as buying a house or having children until they feel financially ready — which could mean waiting until they’ve finished school or established their careers before getting married or having kids.
More Women in the Workforce
For those who grew up watching their parents divorce, it’s no surprise that fewer millennials want to get married or believe in its long-term viability. But there’s more going on here than simply a shift in values or attitudes about commitment.
There are more women in the workforce than ever and less social stigma surrounding divorce — which means that more couples are likely to find themselves living together without getting married first. That’s because it’s much harder for such women to plan a wedding — let alone have time for a husband!
Marriage Is an Important Life Milestone, But It’s Not for Everyone.
Overall, one strong conclusion we can draw from the findings in this study is that marriage is still important to many people, but it’s also not for everyone. The data showing a clear trend towards more unmarried Americans isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though.
It means that there are couples who don’t want to get married who are open-minded enough to realize that marriage may not be right for them at this time. And should you choose not to get married right now or ever, that’s fine too.
