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Trends in U.S. Families 389

FIGURE 12.12 Americans Ages 20–24 Who Have Married*

100%
Men Women
90%
80%
70%
65%
Percentage 50% 45% 50%
60%

40%
32% 37%
30% 27%
21% 21%
20% 16% 19%
11% 11%
10%

0%
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2011
*Includes widowed and divorced.
Source: By the author. Based on Statistical Abstract of the United States 1993:Table 60; 2002: FIGURE 12.13 Cohabitation
Table 48; 2012:Table 57; 2013:Table 57.
in the United States

years, there was little change. Then in 1970, the average age took a sharp turn 9.0
upward, and today’s average first-time bride and groom are older than at any other 8.5
time in U.S. history.
Since postponing marriage is today’s norm, it may surprise you to learn that 8.0
most U.S. women used to marry before they turned 24. To see this remarkable 7.5
change, look at Figure 12.12. The percentage of women between 20 and 24 who 7.0
are married is now less than a third of what it was in 1970. For men, it is less than a
fourth. Just as couples are postponing marriage, so they are putting off having chil-
dren. Today’s average U.S. woman now has her first child at age 25, the highest 6.0
age in U.S. history (Mathews and Hamilton 2009). 5.5
Why have these changes occurred? The primary reason is cohabitation.
Although Americans have postponed the age at which they first marry, they have 5.0
not postponed the age at which they first set up housekeeping with someone of Number of Couples (in millions) 6.5
4.5
the opposite sex. Let’s look at this trend. 4.0

Cohabitation 3.5
To see one of the most remarkable trends in the United States, look at 3.0
Figure 12.13. This figure shows the remarkable increase in cohabitation, 2.5
adults living together in a sexual relationship without being married. I know
of no other social trend that has risen this steeply and consistently. From a 2.0
furtive activity, cohabitation has moved into the mainstream. Today, some- 1.5
where between one-half and two-thirds of couples have cohabited before 1.0
their marriage (Huang et al. 2011; Copen et al 2013).
0.5
Cohabitation and Marriage: The Essential Difference. The essential dif- 0
ference between cohabitation and marriage is commitment. In marriage, the 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
assumption is permanence; in cohabitation, couples agree to remain together for Year
“as long as it works out.” For marriage, individuals make public vows that legally Note: Broken line indicates author’s estimate
bind them as a couple; for cohabitation, they simply move in together. Marriage
requires a judge to authorize its termination, but if a cohabiting relationship Source: By the author. Based on U.S. Census Bureau
2007 and Statistical Abstract of the United States
sours, the couple separates, telling friends and family that “it didn’t work out.” 1995:Table 60; 2013:Table 63.