The decline of marriage results
Marriage rates in the United States have noticeably decreased in recent years. Only almost half of Americans are in wedlock. For Millennials (Generation Y), the decrease is most prevalent. This looks to be the same way for the upcoming Centennials (Generation Z, or those born approximately 1996 and later), once they come of age to marry.
The same pressure put on previous generations to marry is simply lacking amongst Millennials and Centennials. The reasoning to marry has then become less meaningful for the two generations, who have chosen alternatives like cohabitation and even raising children outside of marriage.
There could be many motives behind this, such as economic reasons, the aforementioned social reasons, or even the increasing practice of “sowing your oats” before marriage.
Some experts have observed that marriage rates are still steady amongst the wealthy. This could be due to student-debt rates increasing, putting individuals in a deep hole where they just aren’t economically sufficient enough to think about to support a relationship, let alone a family.
Another possibility is that Centennials and perhaps some younger Millennials are simply choosing to marry later on in life. What used to be the norm of getting married in your early twenties has now inclined to the average age of marriage coming in at nearly thirty.
The United States currently has the fourth-highest average age of marriage in the world in a survey taken by the United Nations. Many individuals find benefits from marrying later down the road. Marrying later allows the individual to settle down economically. Some theorize that marrying later on reduces the risk of divorce.
Cohabitation has been the common alternative for couples looking for an “in-between” stage that’s not quite dating, but not quite marriage either. Many have argued that cohabitation is essential to form a bridge from dating to marriage. These individuals feel like living together makes them well-prepared if they choose to marry in the future. As of right now, there hasn’t been sufficient evidence that cohabitation benefits or hinders a relationship.
The decline of marriage is nothing to panic about. It’s not like the United States or even the world is trending towards a time where men and women don’t like each other anymore. Marrying later in life has just replaced what used to be the average age; people are still eventually getting married.
Getting married later on is just one of the ways the younger generations are reshaping society every day.
