Community Corner

Married Minority? Census Shows Slowdown in Couples Tying the Knot

What does St. Louis say? The data reveals that married couples make up barely half of all American households.

The segment of the married U.S. population is about 51 percent, a decline of about six percent since the last census in 2000.

In Missouri, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates about 54 percent of men and 50 percent of women are married.

A societal snapshot

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As the Washington Post points out, the data reflects current conditions; meaning people who are unmarried today may not remain single over time.

"(The data) are a byproduct of a steady increase in the median age when people first marry, now at an all-time high of older than 26 for women and almost 29 for men," says the Washington Post.

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According to an expert cited in The Huffington Post, the reason is twofold: "The fast-growing older population is more likely to be divorced or widowed later in life, and 20-somethings are putting off their nuptials for longer stretches."

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