Americans are less inclined to marry these days. The pandemic didn't help matters. The marriage rate fell to 5.1 marriages per 1,000 population in 2020, according to the National Center for Health Statistics—yet another record low. The number of marriages fell to a level not seen since 1963.
Marriage rate (and number of marriages), 2000 to 2020
2020: 5.1 (1.7 million)
2019: 6.1 (2.0 million)
2010: 6.8 (2.1 million)
2000: 8.2 (2.3 million)
Marriages were not the only vital statistic affected by the pandemic. Both the divorce rate and the number of divorces, which had already been on a downward slide, plunged in 2020 as the pandemic forced couples to hunker down. The divorce rate fell to a level not seen since 1961. There were fewer divorces than in any year since 1968.
Divorce rate (and number of divorces), 2000 to 2020
2020: 2.3 (631,000)
2019: 2.7 (747,000)
2010: 3.6 (872,000)
2000: 4.0 (944,000)
Marriage and divorce are likely to rebound as the effects of the pandemic fade. But because marriage and divorce were both in a long-term decline when the pandemic hit, the rebound could be short-lived.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Marriage and Divorce, National Marriage and Divorce Rate Trends for 2000–2020
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