Posted on 10/08/2021 9:42:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
About four out of 10 adults in the United States are living without a romantic partner, which is part of a growing trend, according to a new report by Pew Research Center.
Using census data, Pew noted in a report Tuesday that 38% of U.S. adults in 2019 were neither living with a spouse or other romantic partner, which was an increase from the 29% reported in 1990.
By contrast, 53% of adults in 2019 were married, representing a decline from the 64% reported in 1990. Meanwhile, 6% of adults were cohabitating in 2019, up from 4% in 1990.
"The growth in the single population is driven mainly by the decline in marriage among adults who are at prime working age," Pew Senior Researcher Richard Fry and Pew Director of Social Trends Research Kim Parker wrote in an analysis.
"While the unpartnered population includes some adults who were previously married (those who are separated, divorced or widowed), all of the growth in the unpartnered population since 1990 has come from a rise in the number who have never been married."
The researchers concluded that this growing single population had "broad societal implications, as does the growing gap in well-being between partnered and unpartnered adults."
"Looking across a range of measures of economic and social status, unpartnered adults generally have different – often worse – outcomes than those who are married or cohabiting," the report continued.
"Unpartnered adults have lower earnings, on average, than partnered adults and are less likely to be employed or economically independent. They also have lower educational attainment and are more likely to live with their parents."
In recent years, much has been made about the growing population of American adults experiencing what some have described as a loneliness epidemic.
In January 2020, before the pandemic lockdowns occurred in the United States, global insurance company Cigna released a survey of around 10,400 adults, which found that 61% of respondents reported feeling lonely.
"The trends shaping how we work – increasing use of technology, more telecommuting and the always-on work culture – are leaving Americans more stressed, less rested, spending more time on social media, and less time with friends and family," Cigna President and CEO David M. Cordani said in a statement at the time.
"For the business community, it is resulting in less engagement, less productivity and lower retention levels. To confront these issues at home and at work, we are helping people build stronger connections and driving deeper health engagement to improve overall well-being and vitality."
Last year, the Virginia-based Institute for Family Studies released a report drawing data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The report found that the U.S. experienced its lowest rate of divorce in about 50 years in 2019.
The data showed that for every 1,000 marriages, 14.9 ended in divorce in 2019.
“People are getting married later in life these days, and they are less likely to rush into a marriage which they may regret later on. On the other hand, we've seen the record low marriage rate happening in the U.S.,” IFS Director of Research Dr. Wendy Wang told The Christian Post at the time.
“College-educated adults are more likely than those without a college degree to get married, and their divorce rate is lower.”
In April 2020, the National Center for Health Statistics produced a report on the marriage rates from 1900 through 2018. The report stated that marriage rates had reached their lowest point in more than 100 years.
Remember when a woman who wasn’t married by the time they were 30 was an “Old Maid” or a “Spinster”?




A good dog is better than some spouses I’m sad to say. 🐶
Yah..I call them “most merciful”....
Bkmk
People are living together rather than getting married. Thus their expenses are not as bad as this article depicts, in fact are better for it.
Even in states where there is “No fault” divorce people still aren’t getting married. So it’s not the financial risk...it’s more the headache when either party wants out.
IMO live ins will not last indefinitely.....wills come into play...I know a fellow who has a gal friend and they aren’t living together yet he’s left all he has to her. People are just making up their own rules these days....easy to do since we’re fast becoming a lawless nation.
This is data manipulation writ large. By including incels with MGTOW, they skew the statistics to make it look worse than it actually is.
Incel: contraction of “involuntary celibate”. The “mommy’s basement” dwellers referred to in the article.
MGTOW: Men Going Their Own Way. Independent heterosexual adult men who have successful careers but have chosen to remain single for a variety of reasons.
Women need their freedom. They’ve been working on it since the 60’s. Abortion gives them that freedom.
Then there’s the issue of sex. It’s more available to them. Just pick up the phone. Unfortunately there’s more risk for them and the package that comes with them taking on a partner. Not worth it. Then there’s obesity. Can’t tell me those guys and gals are getting it.
All those adult aged children have helicopter moms.
That was my first reaction, but the story does consider "partnered," as part of the equation. So many don't move in together because they have established households with each's own children eyeballing the estates ...
A really large factor is the cost of living. Young adults are launching from parents’ homes later and later as housing and other costs are leaving their buying power in the dust.
Even worse are the most severe amongst these types, the harridans and abusers, those who can only relate to another via constant conflict. It’s reprehensible, unacceptable behavior. Never accept it under any circumstance. If you are subjected to it, the only resolution is a well considered escape plan.
I’ve seen it all over.
And yet I’ve also, for the vast majority of my life experienced how amazingly wonderful, loving and giving women can be. In America and beyond. In my case my specific attraction to long haired, dark skin morenas with an exotic accent has resulted in nearly 25 years of happy marriage.
I pray for all of the youth who have been deprived of potential happiness for fear of encountering a harpie or a brute. It’s rough out there. I hope this isn’t an enduring problem for them. Angels do exist but you have to look hard to find them.
It is part of a plan. The Left has endeavored to destroy marriage.
Remember when marriage wasn’t a bad deal for men?
Oh I believe that too. I tell ya, I’m actually confused by it all as my own children are adults making these decisions, long term marriages are breaking up and adult grandkids are living with their mates not getting married.....If anyone had told me I’d be seeing the day my family would be so fractured I would have laughed in their faces.....but what I thought was impossible has turned to just that.
I did not raise my family this way it’s turned out. There is no longer any cohesion among us. And that’s a frightening thing to contend with.
There is no escape as government courts have thrown out prenuptial agreements as well.
Strange game; the only way to win is not to play.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.