Married Couples Peak in the 40-to-44 Age Group

Only 48 percent of the nation's 129 million households are headed by married couples, according to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. By age, the married-couple share of households first rises above the 50 percent threshold in the 35-to-39 age group, peaks at 58 percent in the 40-to-44 age group, and falls back below the 50 percent threshold in the 75-to-79 age group. Only 20 percent of households headed by people aged 85 or older are married couples.

Percent of households headed by married couples by age of householder, 2019
Total households: 48.2%
Under age 25: 14.5%
Aged 25 to 29: 32.6%
Aged 30 to 34: 49.4%
Aged 35 to 39: 56.9%
Aged 40 to 44: 58.1%
Aged 45 to 49: 57.3%
Aged 50 to 54: 54.7%
Aged 55 to 59: 52.8%
Aged 60 to 64: 52.4%
Aged 65 to 69: 51.5%
Aged 70 to 74: 51.0%
Aged 75 to 79: 44.3%
Aged 80 to 84: 37.4%
Aged 85-plus: 20.4%

The married-couple share of households was as high as 78.8 percent in 1949. The share fell below 70 percent in 1971, below 60 percent in 1981, and below 50 percent in 2010.

Source: Census Bureau, Age and Sex Composition in the United States: 2019