Marriage in the United States is still common, but it looks very different from a generation ago. About 2.1 million couples marry each year, yet the share of adults who are married has fallen from 72% in 1960 to roughly half today, and people are marrying later than ever. This page collects more than 50 data points on how many people marry, at what age, who is most likely to marry, and how patterns differ by race, education, and state. Every figure comes from a primary source such as the CDC, the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Family and Marriage Research, or Pew Research Center, with the year noted.
Key Marriage Statistics
Contents
- Key Marriage Statistics
- How Many People Get Married in the U.S.?
- The Marriage Rate Over Time
- Age at First Marriage
- Never-Married Americans
- Who Marries: Education and Income
- Interracial and Intermarriage
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Remarriage
- Cohabitation Before Marriage
- Marriage by State
- How Long Marriages Last
- Marriage and Children
- How Many Americans Are Unmarried
- How the United States Compares Internationally
- Methodology and Sources
- About 2.1 million marriages take place in the United States each year, a rate of 6.2 per 1,000 people (CDC/NCHS, 2022).
- The marriage rate has fallen from 8.5 per 1,000 in 1960, and a postwar peak of 16.4 in 1946, to about 6 today (CDC/NCHS).
- About 51% of U.S. adults are currently married, down from 72% in 1960 (Pew Research Center).
- The median age at first marriage reached a record 30.2 years for men and 28.6 for women in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau).
- In 1960, the median age at first marriage was about 23 for men and 20 for women (U.S. Census Bureau).
- About 1 in 5 adults aged 25 and older have never married, up from 9% in 1960 (Pew Research Center).
- As of 2021, 25% of 40-year-olds had never been married, up from 20% in 2010 (Pew Research Center).
- In 2024, about 47.1% of U.S. households were headed by a married couple, near a record low (U.S. Census Bureau).
- 19% of newlyweds married someone of a different race or ethnicity in 2019, up from 3% in 1967 (Pew Research Center).
- White and Hispanic is the most common interracial pairing at 42% of intermarried newlyweds, followed by White and Asian at 15% (Pew Research Center).
- There were about 740,000 married same-sex couples in 2022, rising to roughly 823,000 by 2025, more than double the 380,000 estimated in 2015 (U.S. Census Bureau; Williams Institute).
- Nearly 40% of new marriages involve at least one partner who was married before, and about 1 in 5 involve two previously married partners (Pew Research Center).
- Since the 1990s, more than half of first marriages were preceded by cohabitation, rising to about four-fifths of recent marriages (NCFMR / NSFG).
- College-graduate women had a 69% marriage rate by 2010, compared with 56% among women with a high school diploma (NCFMR).
- The median duration of current marriages has held at about 19 years since 2010 (U.S. Census Bureau).
- A first marriage that ends in divorce lasts about 8 years on average (U.S. Census Bureau).
- Utah had the highest refined marriage rate in 2024 at 51.7 per 1,000 unmarried women, while Delaware had the lowest at 20.1 (NCFMR, 2025).
- Marriage rates have declined across most OECD countries over recent decades (OECD Family Database).
How Many People Get Married in the U.S.?
Marriage remains a mainstream institution. About 2.1 million couples marry each year, a rate of 6.2 per 1,000 people (CDC/NCHS, 2022). That is millions of weddings annually, even as the long-term trend points down.
The decline is real but gradual. The marriage rate has slipped from 8.5 per 1,000 in 1960 to roughly 6 today, and the share of adults who are married has fallen from 72% in 1960 to about 51% (Pew Research Center). For the other side of the ledger, see our divorce statistics and the full relationship and dating statistics hub.
Weddings cluster seasonally and regionally, with summer and early fall the most popular times to marry. The headline rate hides that variation, but the long-run direction is consistent across every state and age group.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Marriages per year | ~2.1 million | CDC/NCHS, 2022 |
| Marriage rate | 6.2 per 1,000 | CDC/NCHS, 2022 |
| Adults currently married | ~51% | Pew Research Center |
| Adults married in 1960 | 72% | Pew Research Center |
The Marriage Rate Over Time
Today’s rate is low by historical standards. Marriages peaked at 16.4 per 1,000 in 1946, the year after the Second World War, then settled to 8.5 by 1960 before the long slide to about 6 now (CDC/NCHS).
The share of married adults tells the same story from another angle. Half of adults are married today, against nearly three-quarters in 1960. The change reflects later marriage, more cohabitation, and a rising number of people who never marry at all.
Economic shocks leave marks on the curve too. Marriages dipped during the Great Depression, surged after the war, and fell again during the 2008 recession and the early pandemic, which shows how closely the decision to marry tracks financial confidence.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Marriage rate, 1946 peak | 16.4 per 1,000 | CDC/NCHS |
| Marriage rate, 1960 | 8.5 per 1,000 | CDC/NCHS |
| Marriage rate, today | ~6 per 1,000 | CDC/NCHS |
Age at First Marriage
Americans are marrying later than at any point on record. The median age at first marriage hit 30.2 for men and 28.6 for women in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), up from about 23 and 20 in 1960.
Later marriage is one of the clearest shifts in family life. It tracks with longer education, career-building, and the spread of cohabitation, and it pushes the average age of first-time parents up alongside it.
The shift is not limited to one group. Median age has risen across races, regions, and education levels, though college graduates still tend to marry somewhat later than peers without a degree, after finishing school and settling into work.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Median age, men, 2024 | 30.2 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Median age, women, 2024 | 28.6 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Median age, men, 1960 | ~23 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Median age, women, 1960 | ~20 | U.S. Census Bureau |
Never-Married Americans
A growing share of adults are not marrying. About 1 in 5 adults aged 25 and older have never married, up from 9% in 1960 (Pew Research Center). Among 40-year-olds, 25% had never married as of 2021, a record high.
This is partly delay and partly a real decline in ever marrying. Pew projects that a record share of today’s young adults may never marry, a first in modern U.S. history.
Attitudes have shifted alongside the numbers. A growing share of adults say marriage is not essential to a fulfilling life, and many never-married adults are in committed relationships or living together rather than single in the everyday sense.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Adults 25+ never married | ~1 in 5 | Pew Research Center |
| Same figure in 1960 | 9% | Pew Research Center |
| 40-year-olds never married, 2021 | 25% | Pew Research Center |
Who Marries: Education and Income
Marriage has become more closely tied to education and income. By 2010, 69% of college-graduate women were married, compared with 56% of women with only a high school diploma (NCFMR). The gap has widened since.
Economists describe this as a marriage divide: people with more education and stable earnings are now both more likely to marry and less likely to divorce, which concentrates the benefits of marriage among higher-income households.
The pattern feeds on itself. Stable two-income married households can invest more in children and savings, which widens the gap between married and unmarried families and helps explain why marriage increasingly tracks class.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Married rate, college-graduate women | 69% | NCFMR (by 2010) |
| Married rate, high-school-diploma women | 56% | NCFMR (by 2010) |
Interracial and Intermarriage
Intermarriage has risen sharply. 19% of newlyweds married someone of a different race or ethnicity in 2019, up from just 3% in 1967, the year the Supreme Court struck down bans on interracial marriage (Pew Research Center).
The pairings are not evenly distributed. White and Hispanic couples are the most common at 42% of intermarried newlyweds, followed by White and Asian at 15% (Pew Research Center).
Acceptance has risen with the numbers. Most Americans now say intermarriage is good for society, a sharp turnaround from the attitudes that prevailed when such marriages were still banned in much of the country.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Newlyweds married across race/ethnicity, 2019 | 19% | Pew Research Center |
| Same figure in 1967 | 3% | Pew Research Center |
| Most common pairing, White and Hispanic | 42% | Pew Research Center |
| White and Asian | 15% | Pew Research Center |
Same-Sex Marriage
Same-sex marriage has grown quickly since it became legal nationwide. There were about 740,000 married same-sex couples in 2022, rising to roughly 823,000 by 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau; Williams Institute).
That is more than double the estimated 380,000 married same-sex couples at the time of the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, a fast rise for any marriage category.
Geography shapes these households. Married same-sex couples are more concentrated in urban areas and in states that recognized the unions early, though they now appear in every state.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Married same-sex couples, 2022 | ~740,000 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Married same-sex couples, 2025 | ~823,000 | Williams Institute |
| Married same-sex couples, 2015 | ~380,000 | Williams Institute |
Remarriage
Many marriages are not first marriages. Nearly 40% of new marriages involve at least one partner who was married before, and about 1 in 5 involve two previously married partners (Pew Research Center).
Remarriage is most common in midlife, and rates are higher among men than women. Blended families are now a routine part of the marriage landscape rather than an exception.
Outcomes differ by order too. Second and later marriages carry a higher divorce risk than first marriages, which is part of why some couples entering remarriage plan more carefully around finances and children.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| New marriages with a previously married partner | ~40% | Pew Research Center |
| New marriages where both were married before | ~1 in 5 | Pew Research Center |
Cohabitation Before Marriage
Living together first has become the norm. Since the 1990s, more than half of first marriages were preceded by cohabitation, and that share has climbed to about four-fifths of recent marriages (NCFMR / NSFG).
The pattern now spans education levels. Once concentrated among less-educated couples, premarital cohabitation has risen among college graduates too, narrowing what used to be a wide gap.
The link between cohabitation and divorce is debated. Earlier research suggested couples who lived together first divorced more often, but recent analyses find the gap has shrunk or reversed as living together became standard.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| First marriages preceded by cohabitation, since 1990s | More than 50% | NCFMR / NSFG |
| Recent marriages preceded by cohabitation | ~80% | NCFMR / NSFG |
Marriage by State
Where people marry varies widely. Utah recorded the highest refined marriage rate in 2024 at 51.7 per 1,000 unmarried women, while Delaware had the lowest at 20.1 (NCFMR, 2025).
Some of the gap reflects destination weddings in places like Nevada and Hawaii, but much of it tracks religion, age structure, and local economies, which shape how early and how often people marry.
Age at marriage varies by region as well, tending to be younger in parts of the South and Mountain West and older in the Northeast, which mirrors differences in religion, education, and cost of living.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Highest refined marriage rate, Utah, 2024 | 51.7 per 1,000 | NCFMR, 2025 |
| Lowest refined marriage rate, Delaware, 2024 | 20.1 per 1,000 | NCFMR, 2025 |
How Long Marriages Last
Length varies, but the averages are steadier than the headlines suggest. The median duration of current marriages has held at about 19 years since 2010 (U.S. Census Bureau).
Among marriages that do end, a first marriage that ends in divorce lasts about 8 years on average. The two figures together show that while many marriages end, a large share also endure for decades.
Milestones still matter. The risk of divorce is highest in the early years and falls the longer a marriage lasts, so couples who pass the first decade are far more likely to stay together.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Median duration of current marriages | ~19 years | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Average first marriage that ends in divorce | ~8 years | U.S. Census Bureau |
Marriage and Children
Marriage and childbearing have come apart over the past half century. In 2023, 40.0% of all U.S. births were to unmarried women, about 1.44 million babies, according to the CDC. As recently as 1980 that share was around 18%, so the change has been steep and steady rather than sudden.
Measured another way, the Census Bureau found that 30.9% of women with a recent birth were unmarried in 2023, down from 35.7% in 2011. The two figures count different things, the CDC tracking all births and the Census tracking mothers surveyed, but both point the same way: having children outside marriage is now common rather than rare.
The trend matters because children’s living arrangements have shifted with it. A growing share of children spend at least part of childhood with a single or cohabiting parent, which is one reason researchers study marriage alongside child wellbeing, schooling, and household income.
Marriage status at birth varies widely by age and education. Births to unmarried women are most common among younger mothers and those without a college degree, while births within marriage remain the norm among older, college-educated parents. That split mirrors the wider marriage divide by class.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Births to unmarried women, 2023 | 40.0% | CDC/NCHS |
| Live births to unmarried women, 2023 | 1,440,031 | CDC/NCHS |
| Nonmarital fertility rate, 2023 | 36.4 per 1,000 | CDC/NCHS |
| Women with a recent birth who were unmarried, 2023 | 30.9% | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Same figure in 2011 | 35.7% | U.S. Census Bureau |
How Many Americans Are Unmarried
For the first time in modern record-keeping, unmarried adults are close to half the adult population. In 2022, about 49.3% of Americans aged 15 and older, roughly 132 million people, were unmarried, according to the Census Bureau Current Population Survey.
That group is far broader than the never-married. It also includes divorced, widowed, and separated adults, about 4.6 million of whom were separated in 2023, while roughly 133 million adults were married. The near even split is a milestone for a country where marriage was once close to universal.
The rise of single-adult households reshapes more than family life. It affects housing demand, consumer spending, and retirement planning, since one income and one set of savings now support a larger share of homes than in any prior generation.
Living alone has climbed alongside these numbers. The share of one-person households has roughly doubled since 1960, and many unmarried adults now live solo well into midlife rather than with family or roommates, a pattern almost unknown a few generations ago.
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Unmarried Americans aged 15+, 2022 | 49.3% (~132.3M) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Married adults aged 15+, 2023 | ~133.1 million | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Separated adults, 2023 | ~4.6 million | U.S. Census Bureau |
How the United States Compares Internationally
The U.S. is not alone in this shift. Marriage rates have fallen across most OECD countries over recent decades, as later marriage, cohabitation, and declining births reshape family life across the wealthy world (OECD Family Database).
The U.S. still marries and divorces more than many European peers, but the direction of travel, fewer and later marriages, is shared across high-income nations. A clear agreement set up in advance is one reason some couples look into a prenup before they marry.
Cultural context shapes the numbers. Countries with strong religious traditions or younger populations tend to marry earlier and more often, while much of Western Europe has moved toward later marriage and long-term living together.
Methodology and Sources
Every figure on this page comes from a named primary source, not from content-marketing roundups. Estimates that could not be traced to a primary source were left out. Figures are updated as new data is released.
- CDC, National Center for Health Statistics (NVSS marriage and divorce data)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey and Current Population Survey
- National Center for Family and Marriage Research (NCFMR)
- Pew Research Center
- Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law
- OECD Family Database