For the FIRST time in history: # of people between 25-34 that have never been married > # of people married

Yup you read correctly. For the first time since the Census Bureau has collected marriage data, there have been more people between 25-34 that have never been married than married in that age range. I can’t say I’m shocked, but I am certainly concerned. The national average is 46.3% unmarried 44.9% married, but the numbers are more staggering in metropolises.

In San Francisco, 82% of adults between 25 and 34 had never been married in 2009, the largest share among big U.S. cities. Atlanta, New York and Minneapolis were all among the top 20 U.S. cities with the largest share of never-married young adults, with shares greater than 75%.

The article lists several reasons for this trend including the recession and people putting off marriage to get established in their profession. While more people will get married when the economy turns around, I wouldn’t expect a drastic shift.

We have stripped marriage of any meaning. In the “old days” people got married so they could have sex (with or without a condom). That’s not the case anymore. You also don’t have to be married to live together. Therein lies the question: What does it mean to be married today?

Additionally, and more important I believe, we have too many potential partners. And that will be the topic my next post.

Source: WSJ