US Marriage Rate Fell From 90% To 55% Since 1962
The Institute for Family Studies blames culture and rising expectations, not wages, since young men's pay just hit a 50-year high.
- Median first-marriage age for men rose from 23 in 1970 to 30 in 2023.
- Home ownership among men at marriage age climbed from 25% in 1970 to 60% in 2023.
- Prime-age male labor force participation fell from 97% in 1955 to 89% in 2024.
Why it matters: Homes got bigger, pay hit a fifty-year high, and marriage kept falling: the shortfall was never economic.
Institute for Family Studies (Rachel Sheffield), "Beyond the Paycheck: What's Behind America's Marriage Divide?" ↗ · Jul 12, 20267/12/26 · ✓ Checked✓ Check