In some US states, marriage just leads to divorce
Source: Agencies |
August 26, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WITH marriages at an all-time low, US states in the south and west rank among the highest for couples hearing wedding bells. But many of these states also have higher rates of divorce.
The first analysis of this kind by the US Census Bureau, released yesterday, also finds people are waiting longer before marrying for the first time. In particular, the percentage of women who wed as teenagers has plunged since 1970, while many men are postponing marriage past their college years.
There were 19.1 weddings per 1,000 men and 17.6 per 1,000 women across the US in 2009, while divorces became final for 9.2 per 1,000 men and 9.7 per 1,000 women.
By region, the south and west had the most marriages - roughly 19 per 1,000. But they also led in divorces - about 10 per 1,000.
Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Nevada ranked at the top for divorces. Utah, Wyoming and Arkansas - which had the highest marriage rates - were also higher than average in marital break-ups. New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York ranked among the lowest in divorces.
North Dakota was among the top states for marriages while posting lower-than-average divorce rates.
The Census Bureau report attributed the lower rates of divorce in the northeast in part to delayed marriage in those places, which decreased the likelihood of discord later.
Andrew Cherlin, a professor of sociology and public policy at Johns Hopkins University, said: "The south and west, which we think of as more socially conservative, have higher rates of divorce because young adults there tend to be less educated and marry earlier, both of which lead to a higher risk of divorce.
"The south and west also have many migrants who have left their social support networks behind. When they have marital problems, they have fewer people to turn to for help."
The Census Bureau also found people were marrying later. In 1970, more than half of men married between the ages of 20 and 24. By 2009, just 24 percent married between those ages, 34 percent married between 25 and 29, and 20 percent married between 30 and 34.
The first analysis of this kind by the US Census Bureau, released yesterday, also finds people are waiting longer before marrying for the first time. In particular, the percentage of women who wed as teenagers has plunged since 1970, while many men are postponing marriage past their college years.
There were 19.1 weddings per 1,000 men and 17.6 per 1,000 women across the US in 2009, while divorces became final for 9.2 per 1,000 men and 9.7 per 1,000 women.
By region, the south and west had the most marriages - roughly 19 per 1,000. But they also led in divorces - about 10 per 1,000.
Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Nevada ranked at the top for divorces. Utah, Wyoming and Arkansas - which had the highest marriage rates - were also higher than average in marital break-ups. New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York ranked among the lowest in divorces.
North Dakota was among the top states for marriages while posting lower-than-average divorce rates.
The Census Bureau report attributed the lower rates of divorce in the northeast in part to delayed marriage in those places, which decreased the likelihood of discord later.
Andrew Cherlin, a professor of sociology and public policy at Johns Hopkins University, said: "The south and west, which we think of as more socially conservative, have higher rates of divorce because young adults there tend to be less educated and marry earlier, both of which lead to a higher risk of divorce.
"The south and west also have many migrants who have left their social support networks behind. When they have marital problems, they have fewer people to turn to for help."
The Census Bureau also found people were marrying later. In 1970, more than half of men married between the ages of 20 and 24. By 2009, just 24 percent married between those ages, 34 percent married between 25 and 29, and 20 percent married between 30 and 34.
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