Research shows record share of 40-year-olds in US have never married

Jun 29, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Writer/Producer)

More Americans are getting married for the first time in their 40s and 50s. According to the Journal of Marriage and Family, since 1990, the midlife-first-marriage rate has increased by 75% for women and 45% for men.

According to a new Pew Research study, 25% of 40-year-olds in the U.S. have never been married, which is a record high. People born from the 1960s onward have been increasingly delaying marriage or forgoing it altogether.

In 1980, just 6% of 40-year-olds had never been married. In 2010, it was 20%. In 2021, it rose to 25%.

Researchers say that’s a significant increase and marks a new milestone in a decadeslong trend.

Breaking it down by demographics, men are more likely than women to have never married, and Black 40-year-olds were much more likely to be single compared to other races.

Education is also a factor. Most single 40-year-olds don’t have a college degree.

Education level is notable because the share of 40-year-olds who had completed a bachelor’s degree in 2021 was nearly double what it was in 1980. But the growth of this group has not reversed the overall trend of delaying marriage.

While many unmarried 40-year-olds are living with a romantic partner, most are not. In 2022, only 22% of never-married adults aged 40-44 were cohabiting.

The good news for those 40 years old or older and looking for love, 1 in 4 unmarried 40-year-olds who had not married in 2001 had done so by age 60. Which means many of today’s “never-married” 40-year-olds will marry in the coming decades.

Tags: Pew Research

KARAH RUCKER: MORE AMERICANS ARE GETTING MARRIED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR 40’S AND 50’S. ACCORDING TO THE JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, SINCE 1990, THE “MIDLIFE FIRST MARRIAGE RATE” HAS INCREASED BY 75-PERCENT FOR WOMEN AND 45-PERCENT FOR MEN.

25% OF 40-YEAR-OLDS IN U.S. HAVE NEVER MARRIED

ACCORDING TO NEW PEW RESEARCH, 25-PERCENT OF 40-YEAR-OLDS IN THE U-S HAVE NEVER BEEN MARRIED. AND THAT’S A RECORD HIGH.

PEOPLE BORN FROM THE 1960s ONWARD HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY DELAYING MARRIAGE OR FORGOING IT ALL TOGETHER.

DELAYING MARRIAGE IS DECADES LONG TREND

IN 1980 – JUST 6-PERCENT OF 40-YEAR-OLDS HAD NEVER BEEN MARRIED.

IN 2010 IT WAS 20-PERCENT. AND IN 2021, IT ROSE TO 25 PERCENT — OR ONE IN EVERY FOUR.

RESEARCHERS SAY THAT’S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE AND MARKS A NEW MILESTONE IN A DECADES LONG TREND. BREAKING IT DOWN BY DEMOGRAPHICS…

BREAKING DOWN MARRIAGE DELAYS BY DEMOGRAPHICS

MEN ARE MORE LIKELY THAN WOMEN TO HAVE NEVER MARRIED. AND BLACK 40-YEAR OLDS WERE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE SINGLE COMPARED TO OTHER RACES. EDUCATION IS ALSO A FACTOR. MOST SINGLE 40-YEAR-OLDS DON’T HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE.

THIS IS NOTABLE BECAUSE THE SHARE OF 40-YEAR-OLDS WHO HAD COMPLETED A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN 2021 WAS NEARLY DOUBLE WHAT IT WAS IN 1980. BUT THE GROWTH OF THIS GROUP HAS NOT REVERSED THE OVERALL TREND OF DELAYING MARRIAGE.

MOST UNMARRIED 40-YEAR-OLDS ARE NOT LIVING WITH A ROMANTIC PARTNER

WHILE MANY UNMARRIED 40-YEAR-OLDS ARE LIVING WITH A ROMANTIC PARTNER – MOST ARE NOT. IN 2022 – ONLY 22-PERCENT OF NEVER-MARRIED ADULTS, AGES 40-44 WERE COHABITING.

NOW THE GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE FORTY OR OLDER AND LOOKING FOR LOVE. ONE-IN-FOUR 40-YEAR-OLDS WHO HAD NOT MARRIED IN 2001 HAD DONE SO BY AGE 60. WHICH MEANS MANY OF TODAY’S “NEVER-MARRIED” 40-YEAR-OLDS WILL MARRY IN THE COMING DECADES.