More (and more) Millennials delaying marriage

As of 2012, about 1 in 5 adults 25 and older have never been married, the highest proportion in U.S. history. The decrease is mostly due to changes in attitudes and priorities. Between 2004 and 2014, Gallup polls have measured people’s living arrangements, and shown some strong trends:

• A decade ago, half (52%) of young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 had never been married. Now about two-thirds (64%) of them haven’t.

• Over the same period, the proportion of young adults who are married has fallen—from 29% in 2004 to 16% in 2014.

• Meanwhile, the proportion of young adults who live together has held steady in the 13-15% range.

• Marriage has declined for thirty-somethings too, from 67% in 2004 to 56% in 2014. As of 2014, more 30-somethings are living together (from 7% to 13%) and more of them are single (from 15% to 19%).

Love is love

It will be interesting to see if the steady down tick in marriage keeps up as Millennials reach their 30s. In 2013, a different Gallup poll showed that the majority of young adults (56%) who had never been married hoped to tie the knot someday. And, who knows, maybe the recent Supreme Court decision making same-sex marriage legal in every state will slow the drop or even cause an up tick.

However you choose to live and love, we hope it involves a healthy and happy sex life. And whether you’re married, single, or living together, if you’re at risk for pregnancy and not committed to having a baby right now, make sure you’re committed to your birth control.