ago—or even 25 years ago. Among 25-year-old women, the
fastest-growing demographic status is single, working, childless,
head of household (Fussell and Furstenberg, 2004). The United
States still has one of the industrial world’s lowestage for first
marriage (Table 12.1).
Differences among Black, White, and foreign-born popula-
tions in education and labor market opportunities have narrowed
since the 1960s, creating more similarities in the lives of people of
color and their White peers (Fussell and Furstenberg, 2004). How-
ever, significant educational and economic inequalities, in addition
to cultural differences, mean that different groups will continue to
vary in the ages of first marriage (Guzzo, 2003; Martin, 2004).
Staying Single.Not long ago, people who were “still not
married” by their late 20s were considered deviant. Men were
considered “big babies,” who “refused to grow up” and “settle
down.” Women were “old maids,” thought to be too unattractive or socially inept to
attract a husband.
But singlehood has become commonplace, if not exactly respectable. Just over
half of all Americans aged 15 (50.7 percent) and over are not married or cohabiting
(U.S. Census Bureau, 2009, 1-Year Estimates). Sixty-three percent of all unmarried
Americans have never been married. Although the percentage of single
people is rising for all Americans, those rates vary considerably by race
and ethnicity. Between 1970 and 2000, the proportion of White adults
who had never married rose from 16 percent to 20 percent, 19 percent
to 28 percent among Hispanics, and 21 percent to 39 percent among
African Americans (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006).
In Europe, the proportion of women who have never married ranges
from 7 percent in Bulgaria to 36 percent in Iceland. The proportion of
men is substantially higher.
Women are more likely to be single than men. In fact, the majority
of American women (51 percent) is living without a spouse (U.S. Cen-
sus Bureau, 2006). Single women are better educated, are better
employed, and have better mental health than single men (Fowlkes,
1994; Marks, 1996). But for both men and women, being single is an
ambivalent experience. Sometimes singles are autonomous and free;
sometimes they are lonely and disconnected. Often, they are both (Gor-
don, 1994). Singles may have financial independence, but they also have
sole financial responsibility for their lives and futures. And singles are
still living in a society of couples, so they are often the “third wheel” at
social events. Friends and family may assume that they are unhappy and expend all
of their efforts on trying to hook them up, but as they get older, it may become increas-
ingly difficult to locate uncoupled people at all. It is no wonder that singleness comes
with some adjustment problems.
Cohabiting.Cohabitationrefers to unmarried people in a romantic relationship
living in the same residence. A few decades ago, when nonmarital sex was illegal in
most states, cohabitation was virtually impossible—landlords wouldn’t rent to
people unless they were related by blood or marriage. Hotel managers could lose
their license if they rented rooms to unrelated people. Today, cohabitation has
become commonplace, largely lacking in social disapproval (Smock, 2000). Except
among the very conservative, it is no longer considered “living in sin” or even
“shacking up.” Almost half of people 25 to 40 years of age in the United States have
FORMING FAMILIES 395JWhile the age of marriage is
increasing worldwide, child mar-
riages are still common in many
countries. This photo depicts
the bride and groom at a child
wedding in Rajasthan, India.TABLE 12.1
Age at First MarriageSource:Trends in Europe and North America: The Statistical
Yearbook of the Economic Commission for Europe 2003.MEN WOMENPoland 26.9 23.7
United States 27.4 25.8
France 29.7 27.7
Austria 30.5 28.1
Netherlands 31.0 29.1
Sweden 32.4 30.1
Denmark 32.8 30.3
Switzerland 35.0 31.3