‘\

‘/- -,’

.

. .

Teenage Marriage

and Divorce

United States, 1970-81

/

‘,

,-

An analysis of the trends in teenage

marriage and divorce in the United States

for the period 197(!--81 is presented.

information is included on geographic

variations, marriage laws, age differences

between spouses, previous marital status,

race, educational attainment, duration of

marriage, and children involved in divorce.

,..,

.

‘::+.’ ,,A”

-,,, .

. .

.— .

Data From the National !/Hal Statistics

System

Series 21, No. 43

DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 85-1921

U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services

Public Health Service

National Center for Health Statistics

Hyattsviile, Md.

September 1985

.-

.. --—-- ---

... -------
All material appearing in this reporl is in the publii domain and may be

reproduced or cqiad without permission; dtstion ss to sourca, however, is

appreciated.

suggested Citatbn

National Center for Health Statistics, B.F. Wilson: Teenage marriage and

divorce, United States, 1970-81. Vii%/and Health Statistics. Series 21, No. 43.

DHHS Pub. No. (PHS) 8%1921. Public Health Service. Washington. U.S.

Government Printing Office, Sept. 1985.

-~~~~~-

WIlaon, Barbara Foley.

Teenage marriage and dwofce, United States, 1970-81.

(Series 21, Data from the national vital statistics system; no. 43) (DHHS

publication; no. (PHS) 85-1921)

By Serbara Foley Wilson.

Siblbgraphy: p.

1. Teen-age marriage-united Stete~tatiatics. 2. Youth-United StateeStatiatii. 3. Divorca-Unitsd Statee-statietii. 1.National Center for Health

Statietii (U.S.) Il. 7itla. 10. series: VW and health etatistii. Series 21, Data

from the national vital etatiatii system: no. 43. IV. Series: DHHS publication;

no. (PHS) 85+1921. [DNLM: 1. Divora——I“nadolescence-United Steteastetistica. 2. Ilkgitimecy-united Statee-etetiatii. 3. Marri~n

adolescence-United Statea-etetiatii.

W2 A t.i148vu no. 43]

HA211.A3no.43 304.8’3’0973021 S 85-15298

[HQ789.2.M3] [308.8’.1’088055]

ISBN GS408+319-3

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402
National Center for Health Statistics

Manning Feinleib, M. D., Dr. P. H., Director

Robert A. Israel, Deputy Director

Jacob J. Feldman, Ph. D., Associate Director for Analysis and

Epidemiology

Garrie J. Losee, Associate Director for Data Processing and

Services

Alvan O. Zarate, Ph. D., Assistant Director for International

Statistics

E. Earl Bryant, Associate Director for Interview and Examination

Statistics

Stephen E. Nieberding, Associate Director for Management

Gail F. Fisher, Ph. D., Associate Director for Program Planning,

Evaluation, and Coordination

Monroe G. Sirken, Ph. D., Associate Director for Research and

Methodology

Peter L. Hurley, Associate Director for Vital and Health Care

Statistics

Alice Haywood, Information Oj$cer

Vtial and Health Care Statistics Program

Peter L. Hurley, Associate Director

Gloria Kapantais, Assistant to the Director for Data Policy,

Planning, and Analysis

Dwision of Vial Statistics

John E. Patterson, Director

James A. Weed, Ph. D., Deputy Director

Robert L. Heuser, M. A., Acting Chief, Marriage and Divorce

Statistics Branch

Joseph D. Farrell, Chiej Computer Applications Sta&

Mabel G. Smith, Chief, Statistical Resources Branch
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Marriages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Trends inteenagemarriage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., . . . . . . . .

Seasonality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., . . . . . . . .

Geographicvariation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Marriagelaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Agedifferencesbetween spouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Racialdifferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nativitystatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Educational attainment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Divorces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Regionaldifferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Durationofmarriagebeforedivorce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Childreninvolvedindivorces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Educational attainmentofdivorcing spouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Listofdetailedtables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix Technical notes

Registration areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sourcesofdata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Demographiccharacteristics.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Estimates, rates, percents,means, andmedians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

List of text figures

1. Teenage marriage rates, bysex:Marriage-registrationarea, 1970-81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2. Percent distribution offirst marriages by month of occurrence, according to age: Marriage-registration area, 1981 . .

3. Percent of first marriages that involved teenage brides and grooms, byage: Marriage-registration area States grouped

bygeographicregion, 1981... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4. States ranked according to percent of all first marriages that involved teenage brides and grooms, by age: Each

marriage-registration State, 1981 . . . . , . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5. Age difference between spouses at primary marriage, by age of bride and age of groom: Marriage-registration

area, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6. Percent of brides andgrooms whowere teenagers at first marriage, byrace:32,States, 1970 and 1981 . . . . . . .

Listoftexttabfes

A. Estimated number ofteenage brides and grooms: United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“. . . . .

B. Marriage rates by ageof women and men with percent changes: United States and marriage-registration area, 1970

and1980 . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1

2

3

3

6

6

9

9

11

12

12

13

13

13

14

14

15

16

21

22

22

22

23

4

6

7

8

9

11

3

5
C. Percent distribution ofmamiages byageof bride andgroom: Mamiage-regis~ation area, 1970, 1972, and 1981 . . .

D. Teenage marriage rates with percent changes: United States and each region, 1970 and 1980 . . . . . . . . . . . .

E. Average age difference between spouses at primary marriage, by age of bride and groom: Marriage-registration area,

1970and 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F. Percent of brides and grooms who completed 4 years of high school or more, and 1 year of college or more, with

ratio of brides to grooms and median years of school completed, by age at first marriage: 20 reporting

States, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

G. Estimated number of divorces to teenage wives and husbands: United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

H. Average duration to decree of dissolving first marriages for wives and husbands, by age at marriage: Divorceregistration area, 1981..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

J. Percent of wives and husbands who were parents and average number of children per decree in dissolutions of first

marriages of both spouses, by age at marriage: Divorce-registration area, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

K. Percent of divorcing wives and husbands who completed 4 years of high school or more and 1 year of colle,ge or

more, with ratio of wives to husbands and median years of school completed, by age at marriage for dissolutions of

first marriage: 20reporting States, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

7

10

12

13

13

14

Symbols

--- Data not available

. . . Categoy not applicable

Quantity zero

0.0 Quantity more than zero but less than

0.05

z Quantity more than zero but less than

500 where numbers are rounded to

thousands

*

Figure does not meet standard of

reliability or precision

Iv
Teenage Marriage

and Divorce:

United States,

1970-81

by Barbara Foley VUilson,

Division of Vital Statistics

Introduction

Teenage marriage in the United States reached a peak

in the early 1970’s and then declined steadily for the remainder

of the decade, continuing the downward trend into the early

1980’s. This decline was reflected in marriage rates. The

marriage rate for women 18-19 years of age declined 47

pereent from a high of 157.1 per 1,000 unmarried women

in 1972 to 83.8 in 1981. Falling even more sharply than

the rate for women, the rate for unmarried men 18-19 years

of age dropped 52 percent from 77.1 in 1972 to 36.9 per

1,000 in 1981. Marriage rates for both men and women

under 18 years of age declined about 50 percent between

the early 1970’s and 1981. These findings are based on

data reported by States that participate in the marriage-registration area (MRA). These data constitute the most complete

set of information available from marriage records in the

United States.

Teenage divorce rates, on the other hand, generally increased throughout the decade, peaking in 1978 for men

and in 1979 for women before generally &clining. The rate

for women was consistently higher than the rate for men.

In 1970 the estimated divorce rate for married teenage men

was 15.7 per 1,000 married men; for married teenage women

it was 27.0. The rate for men peaked at 48.2 in 1978 and

for women at 52.9 in 1979. By 1981 the rates had declined

to 33.6 and 47.4 for men and women, respectively.

This report provides an analysis of the trends in teenage

marriage and divorce from 1970 through 1981. It includes

information on geographic variations, marriage laws, age

differences between spouses, previous marital status, race,

educational attainment, duration of marriage, and children

involved in divorce.

The data are based on samples of records from States

that participate in the marriage-registration area (MRA) and

the divorce-registration area (IRA). These are States that

have central files of marriage and divorce records and sufficiently complete reporting of demographic items on their

records to warrant collection, processing, and publication

of the data. The marriage-registration area included 39 States

in 1970 and 42 States in 1981. The District of Columbia

was included in both years. The divorce-registration area

included 28 States in 1970 and 31 States in 1981. In 1981

80 percent of all marriages in the United States were performed

in the MRA, and 49 percent of all divorces were granted

in the DRA. A more detailed description of the MRA and

the DIW appears in the appendix. In addition to data from

the registration areas, total counts of marriages and divorces

are obtained annually from all States, and in 1970 and 1980

samples of marriage records were taken from the District

of Columbia and the 47 States that keep central files of

marriage records.
. Teenage marriages dropped sharply after reaching a peak

in the early 1970’s. Nonetheless, the estimated 466,000

teenage brides inthe United States in 1981 still constituted

a large proportion (19 percent) of the 2.4 million women

who married that year. For first marriages the proportion

of brides who were teenagers was even larger (28 percent).

Teenage marriage is much less prevalent among men

than among women. In 1981 only 186,000, or 8 percent,

of the grooms were teenagers.

. There are wide regional differences in the prevalence

of teenage marriage. Rates were more than twice as

high in the South as in the Northeast.

. Traditionally, husbands are older than their wives. In

the MRA, the average age difference at first marriage

of both husband and wife is 2 years. However, the

age difference is greater for teenage brides than for older

brides. The teenage grooms, on the other hand, generally

marry women closer to their own age than older

grooms do.

● Teenage marriage is more frequent for white than for

black men and women or for those of other races. Teenage

marriage decreased for all races between 1970 and 1981,

but declined more for black than for white brides and

grooms. These data are from the 32 States that recorded

race on marriage certificates in both years.

. Educational attainment is highly correlated with age at

marriage. The majority of brides and grooms who first

married at 18–19 years of age in 1981 had finished

high school, but less than one-fifth of those marrying

under 18 years of age had done so.

. The average duration to divorce in 1981 for women

who had been teenagers at first marriage was 10.2 years;

for men the duration was shorter, 9.7 years.

. The proportion of divorcing spouses who me parents

is much higher for men and women who marry as teenagers than for those marrying at older ages, and they

have more children at the time of divorce.
Marriages

Trends in teenage marriage

During the 1970-81 period covered in this report, teenage

marriages at first rose and then dropped sharply (table A).

In 1970 an estimated 702,000 teenage women married in

the United States. The annual total climbed 8 percent to

758,000 in 1972 and then dropped 39 percent to 466,000

in 1981. Teenage grooms numbered 303,000 in 1970, rose

11 percent to 337,000 in 1972, and then fell 45 percent

to 186,000 in 1981. Teenage marriages could have been

expected to increase during most of the seventies because

an unusually large number of persons were reaching these

ages. The first cohort of the post-World War II “baby boom”

reached 18 years of age in 1963, and the number of 18-yearolds rose between 1965 and 1977.]‘2 It is noteworthy that

the decline in teenage marriage preceded the decrease in

the teenage population.

The decline in the number of teenage marriages at a

time of increase in the marriageable population is reflected

in the change in teenage marriage rates; they dropped even

more sharply than the number of marriages. The marriage

rate declined both for those under 18 years of age who

needed parental consent to marry, and for those 18-19 years

of age who were of legal age to marry, who probably had

completed high school, and who were able to work full

time and support themselves (table 1 and figure 1). The

rates declined for men as well as for women.

In the MRA the marriage rate for women 18–19 years

of age began its decline in 1973. Between 1972 and 1981

it fell from 157.1 to 83.8 marriages per 1,000 unmarried

women in that age group, a drop of 47 percent. The marriage

rate for men 18-19 years of age dropped 52 percent between

1972 and 1981. Having increased slightly between 1970 and

1972, it declined from 77.1 in 1972 to 36.9 in 1981.

The marriage rate for very young brides, those 15–17

years of age, increased from 35.8 in 1970 to 39.3 in 1972

and then declined to 19.1 in 1981, a drop of 51 percent

from the 1972 rate. The rate for grooms aged 15–17 years

increased from 5.4 in 1970 to a high of 6.0 in 1972–73

and then declined 52 percent to 2.9 in 1981. The declines

in marriage rates for teenagers were generally greater than

were those for men and women of all other ages.

Table A. Estimated number of teenage brides and groom= United States,

1970-61

[Based on sample data. Estimate based on proportion of Mdea and grcoms in the marriagaragistration area who were teenagers eae appendix]

Year Bride Groom

1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466,000 186,000

1980 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505,000 202,000

1979 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524,000 214,000

1978 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549,000 227,000

1977 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561,000 235,000

1976 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563,000 257,000

1975 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628,000 279,000

1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 702,000 316,000

1973 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734,000 330,000

1972 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 766,000 337,000

1971 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 723,000 313,000

1970 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 702,000 303,000

A reflection of the falling teenage marriage rate can

be seen in the increasing proportion of women who were

single in the United States. In 1968=70, 56 percent of women

20 years of age had never been marrie~ by 1981 the proportion

had increased to 69 percent, according to reports from the

Bureau of the Census.3’4

In order to see how well the rates for the marriage-registration area approximate national rates, information for 1970

and 1980 was obtained from a special sample drawn in

those years from all but three of the States not in the marriageregistration area. (See appendix.) These data were combined

with data from the MRA to include greater than 95 percent

of all marriages performed in the United States. Comparison

of rates for the MRA with rates for this expanded area

shows that the patterns by sex and age and the magnitude

of change between 1970 to 1980 are similar. The MRA

rates are 5 to 16 percent lower than rates for the larger

group of States (table B).

According to data for the marriage-registration area, not

only dld the number and rate of teenage marriages decline,

but teenage marriages accounted for a smaller proportion

of all marriages (table C). In 1970 1 out of 3 brides was

a teenager, but by 1981 the ratio had dropped to less than

1 out of 5. In 1970 1 out of 7 grooms was a teenager

by 1981 the ratio was 1 out of 14. Increasing proportions

of brides married at ages 2544 and grooms at ages 25-64.
100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Women 1E19

Men 18-19

Women 15-17

Men 15-17

1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1960 1981

Fqure 1. Teenage marriage rateq by aex Marriage-registrationarea, 1970-61

4
Table B. Marriage ratea by age of women and men with percent change= Unitad States and marriage-registration aresj 1970 and 1960

[Based on sample data. Rates are marriages per 1,000 unmamad population in specfied group]

United States’ Marriage-registration area

Percent Percent

Sexandage 1980 1970 change 1980 1970 change

Women

Aliages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60.0 76.7 – 21.8 54.2 69.3 –21.8

15-17 yeara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.7 ?29.2 . . . 20.2 35.8 -43.6

16-19 yeare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98.2 170.5 – 42.4 90.9 156.7 – 42.0

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139.1 247.4 – 43.8 130.8 234.2 – 44.2

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137.5 188.6 –27.1 126.3 170.1 – 25.7

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107.3 130.4 – 17.7 95.0 111.3 – 14.6

3%44years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72.1 81.5 –11.5 62.3 69.2 -10.0

45-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.3 24.8 – 18.1 17.3 20.9 – 17.2

65years andover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5 2.8 -3.8 2.2 2.4 -8.3

Men

Alleges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15-17 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4%64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years andover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

73.4

3.4

42.9

106.2

139.9

134.6

117.0

57.5

17.0

96.7

24.8

80.3

216.3

235.8

182.1

125.1

65.1

17.0

– 24.1

...

-46.6

-50.9

-40.7

– 26.1

– 6.5

-11.7

66.8

3.0

39.2

100.4

131.2

122.8

102.0

49.1

15.2

88.4

5.4

74.4

205.7

217.6

160.8

107.2

54.9

15.6

– 24.4

-44.4

-47.3

-51.2

-39.7

-23.6

– 4.9

-10.6

– 2.6

~Figuresby age excludedataforAdzona, NewMexico,and Oklahoma.

‘Based on population 14-17 yearsof age.

Table C. Percent distribution of marriages by age of bride and groc+rx Merriage-ragietration area+ 1970, 1972 and 19S1

[Based on sample data]

Bride Groom

Age atmamage 1981 1972 1970 1981 1972 1970

Alleges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Under 20yesrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.2 33.2 32.5 7.7 14.8 14.0

2C-24years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36.5 37.3 39.7 34.2 43.3 45.9

25-29 yesrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.7 11.5 10.4 24.3 17.8 16.7

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.3 5.2 4.7 13.3 7.2 6.6

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3 6.1 5.9 11.2 7.7 7.5

45-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.0 5.8 5.8 7.7 7.4 7.3

65years andover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.7 1.8 1.9

5
Seasonalii

Marriages traditionally show a seasonal cycle: Winter

is the trough and summer is the peak. Every year from

1970 to 1981, first marriages in June were more than twice

as numerous as those in January. However, marriages are

less seasonal for teenagers than for older brides and grooms

(figure 2).

Geographic variation

The special samples in 1970 and 1980, which included

data from all but three States (Arizona, New Mexico, and

Oklahoma), provided data to calculate teenage marriage rates

for the four regions of the United States. In 1980 the marriage

rate was 51.5 per 1,000 unmarried women 15–1 9 years of

age; that is, about 5 percent of eligible teenage women

married during that year (table D). In the South the rate

was 38 percent higher (71. 1 per 1,000), and in the Northeast

the rate was 46 percent lower (27.6). The rates for the

North Central Region (49.7) and the West (50.0) were very

close to the national average. The regional variation in marriage rates for teenage men shows the same general pattern

with slightly sharper differences. In 1970 the rates were

higher in all regions than in 1980, but the regional patterns

were similar for both men and women.

Another indication of regional differentials is the percent

distribution of marriages according to age. The South had

a higher proportion of first marriages in which the bride

was a teenager than any other region of the United States

had. In 1981 it was 36 percent in the South compared with

30 percent in the North Central Region, 25 percent in the

West, and 18 percent in the Northeast (figure 3). There

were also relatively more of the very young brides, those

under 18 years of age, in the South. Nearly 12 percent

of brides in the South were under the age of 18 in contrast

to 4 percent in the Northeast.

15 Bride

10

+Y’q N

5

0 1111,,1,,,1, 1 1 1 I I I 1 I 1 1 I I 1 I I 1 1 1 I 1 I 1 I I

15 Groom

10

fiYq”K

5

0 1 I I I I I I i 1 I 1 I I I 1 I I I I 1 1 1 I I I I 1 1 I I 1 I I I I

Jan Dec Jan Dec Jan Dec

Under 18 years 18-19 years 20 years and over

Age at first marriage

Figure 2. Percent distributionof first marriages by month of occurrence, eccording to age: Maniage-regiatrdkm area 1981
50

40 [ Brides i

16-19

years

Under 18

years

Grmms

36.2

30

2s5

24.9

20 18.0

16.1

12.4

10 9.5

0

Northeast North South Weaf Northeast North South West

Central Central

Region

F~ure 3. Peroent of first marriages that invotvad teenage brkks and groom% by W@ Mo~~ area states grouped by geographic ragion,

TabtaD. Teenage marriage rateq with peroent changex United Statsra

and each region, 1970 and 1980

[Baaed on sample data. Ratesper 1,000 unmarriedpopulation1%19 yearsofa9d

Women Men

Percent Percent

Area 1980 1970 change 1980 1970 change

Unitad States’. . 51.5 64.0 –38.7 19.1 32.9 -41.9

Northeast . . . . . 27.6 52.2 -47.1 9.8 18.5 -47.0

North Central . . 49.7 77.0 -36.5 18.3 31.6 -42.1

South. . . . . . . . 71.1 115.8 -36.6 27.5 45.8 – 40.0

Wasp . . . . . . . . 50.0 86.7 -42.3 16.0 31.2 – 48.7

1Excludes data for Arizona, New Mexim, and Oklshoma.

2Excludasdatafor Oklahoma.

3Excludes data for Arizoma and New Mexico.

States ranked according to the percent of brides and

grooms who were first married as teenagers in 1981 show

wide variation, ranging from 7 percent in the District of

Columbia to 45 percent in Kentucky (figure 4). In Kentucky

almost 20 percent of the brides were under 18 years of

age. The ~rcent of grooms who were teenagers at first

marriage ranged from 2 percent in the District of Columbia

to 22 percent in Tennessee. The rank order of States by

percent of grooms who were teenagers was very highly correlated to that of brides; the rank order correlation was 0.97.

There are many factors associated with age at first marriage that vary among States and could be expected to contribute to the interstate variation. The most basic factor is the

age structure of populations in different States. A State with

a greater proportion of teenagers could be expected to have

a greater proportion of teenage brides and grooms. Other

characteristics that have been shown to have strong associations with age at marriage and that vary among States are

educational attainment,5 race,6 ethnicity,7 and religion.7
BRIDES

RANK STATE

1

2

3

4

4

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

31

33

34

35

36

37

Under 18 yeare 38

m 39

0 3’

18-19 years 41

42

Kentucky

Tennessee

Alabama

Weaf Vkgima

Idaho

Mississippi

Wyoming

Utah

South Carolina

Louisiana

Indiana

Missouti

South Dakota

Kansas

Georgia

North Carolina

Virginia

Maine

Florida

Montana

Ohio

Oregon

Colorado

Alaska

Nebraska

Michigan

Minnesota

Vermont

Maryland

Illinois

New Hampshire

Wrsconsin

Pennsylvania

Delaware

Rhode Island

California

Hawaii

Massachusetts

Connecticut

New York

New Jersey

District of Columbla

50 40 30 20 10 0

I I I I

GROOMS

PERCENT

44.1

44.0

43.9

43,9

42.1

41.3

40.2

39.7

39.3

38,9

37,4

37.1

36.6

35.9

34.9

32,2

32.1

31.4

30.6

30.4

30.0

29,7

28.7

27.6

26.0

25.9

25.7

25.4

24,9

24.1

24.1

235

22,0

20.9

20.0

17.4

16.4

15.6

15.6

14.1

7.0

o 10 20 30 40 50

I I I I I 1 STATE

B 1

J

B I

B J

E I

$ 1

1

D

1

B 1

B 1

1

~

n

n

n

n

c1

n

n

n

n

n

o

c1

n

c1

c1

•1

•1

❑

❑

n

22.1

20.9

19.3

19.1

18.6

18.8

18.2

17.9

17.7

17.4

17.0

16.3

16.1

15.3

15.0

14.1

13.5

13.2

13.1

12.7

12.6

12.4

10.8

10.3

10.3

10.1

10.0

9.7

9.4

9.4

9.2

8.6

8.2

8.1

7.1

7,0

6.9

6.3

5.4

5.3

5.0

2.3

Tennessee

Kentucky

Alabama

Mississippi

Idaho

Missouri

Indiana

West Virginia

South Carolina

Georgia

Louisiana

Utah

Wyoming

Kansas

North Carolina

Ohio

South Dakota

Virginia

Florida

Colorado

Maine

Oregon

Montana

Nebraska

Pennsylvania

Michigan

Alaska

Illinois

Vermont

New Hampshire

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Delaware

Hawaii

Rhode Island

California

Massachusetts

New Jersey

New York

Connecticut

District of Columbia

RANK

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

6

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

24

26

27

28

29

29

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

Fiiure 4. Stetea ranked according to percent of all first marriages that involved teenage brides and grocrma, by age Each marriage-registration

State, 1981

8
Marriage laws

Among the factors affecting interstate variations in teenage marriage are State marriage laws. Each State has its

own laws on marriage, which may include medical requirements and a maximum period between the examination and

issuance of the license. The medical requirements may involve

tests for venereal disease, sickle cell anemia, rubella immunity, Tay-Sachs disease, Rh factor, tuberculosis, and mental

competence. There are waiting periods of various lengths

before and after issuance of the licenses

The State laws most relevant to this report are the ones

involving minimum ages for marriage. In 1970 marriage

with parental consent was permitted in most States if the

groom was at least 18 years old and the bride was at least

16 years old. Generally, the legal age without parental consent

was different for the two sexes-2 1 years for men and 18

years for women. The traditional differences in the number

of women and men marrying as teenagers reflected in part

the different legal restrictions on men and women. The 1970’s

were a time of change that included a movement toward

more uniform treatment of the sexes. Already there was

a trend toward equalizing age requirements for marriage without parental consent when the 26th amendment to the Constitution was adopted in July 1971. This amendment guaranteed

the right to vote to citizens who were 18 years or older.

It also tended to establish 18 as the age of majority for

men as well as for women. In one State after another the

legislatures changed the marriage laws. In 1969 teenage men

could not marry without parental consent in 43 States and

the District of Columbia. By 1981 only Mississippi had

such a restriction. Nebraska and Wyoming set 19 as the

minimum age without consent for both men and women,

and in the other 47 States and the District of Columbia,

it was 18 years of age. Typically an initial increase in the

number of teenage grooms followed the change in a State’s

law. For example, the law in Pennsylvania changed June

16, 1972, and the number of teenage grooms increased 15

percent that year. The Ohio law changed January 1, 1974,

and the number of teenage grooms jumped 20 percent. The

surge in the number of teenage grooms passed quickly. In

1975 every reporting State except Alaska, Kentucky, and

Vermont recorded a decline from 1974.

Age differences between spouses

Age differences between spouses have been shown to

vary according to the combined marital histories of the

couple.g Because most teenage brides or grooms are marrying

for the first time, the following analysis will be restricted

to primary maniages, that is, marriages in which both the

man and the woman were never married before.

In general, women first marry at younger ages than

men, they do so over a shorter span of years, and they

marry older men. Men are older at marriage than women,

they marry over a longer span of years, and they marry

women younger than themselves. The net result of these

customs is that the average age difference between spouses

narrows with increased age for brides, but increases with

increased age for grooms. For example, among the primary

marriages of 1981 (first marriage for both spouses), women

18 years old married men 2.7 years older on the average;

women 20 years old married men 2.3 years olde~ women

25 years old married men 1.3 years oldev and women 30

years old married men 0.2 years younger. A reverse pattern

appears when the data are averaged according to the age

of groom. In 1981 grooms aged 18 in primary marriages

were the same age as their brides; grooms aged 20 were

0.8 years olde~ grooms aged 25 were 2.2 yearn oldeu and

grooms aged 30 were 4.3 years older than their brides.

Thus, the older a groom is, the greater the age difference

5

t

Bride

A

3

2

1

0

-1

-2

I I I I I

I I

15 20 25 30 35

Age at primary marriage

NOTE Age difference is age of groom minus age of bride.

Fgure 5. Age dfierence between spouses at primsry msrriege, by age of

bride and age of groom Mi=riage-registration areej 1981
TableE. Average age d~rence between apouaes al primary marriage,

by age of bride end groom: Marriage-registrationarea 1970 and 1981

Based on sample data. Age difference IS age of groom mm.s age of br,de]

Bride Groom

Age 1981 1970 1981 1970

Alleges’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

15yeacs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3 4.0 – 2,6 -0.9

16years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.7 3.5 –1.0 – 0.5

17years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1 2.9 -0.2 0.0

18years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.7 2.5 0.0 0.4

19years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5 2.2 0.5 0.8

20years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3 19 0.6 1.1

21 years....,.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2 17 1.0 1.3

22yaars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.0 1.5 1.2 1.7

23years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,7 1.5 1.5 2.1

24years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 1.7 1.8 2.5

25years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3 1.5 2.2 2.9

26years. . . . . . . . . 1.1 1.5 2.5 3.5

27years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.8 1.1 2.8 3.9

28years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.6 1.3 3.4 4.5

29years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.1 0.5 3.9 4.8

30years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . – 0.2 1.3 4.3 5.3

31 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . – 0.3 1.2 4.6 5.3

32yeara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . – 0.7 1.2 5.2 6.0

33years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . – 0.7 0.5 5.6 6.5

34years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . –1.0 1.2 6.5 7.5

35years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -0.9 –0.7 6.4 7.0

1Includes ages not shown separately.

between spouses; however, the older a bride is, the smaller

the age difference, until finally, the spouses are the same

age or the bride is older (figure 5).

It is apparent that in primary marriages teenage grooms

marry teenage women, while many teenage bricies marry

men in their twenties. In 1981, 82 percent of the teenage

grooms married teenage women, while only 18 percent married

women over twenty. Teenage brides, on the otlher hand,

were married to teenage men in 38 percent of the marriages

and to men over twenty in 65 percent of the marriages

(data not shown).

There was a small shift between 1970 and 1981 in the

pattern of age differences between spouses in primary marriages (table E). For brides 23 years of age and younger

there was an increase in the age difference; that is, they

were marrying older grooms in 1981 than in 1970. Brides

24--35 years, on the other hand, were marrying younger

grooms. The pattern of change in the age differences for

grooms at all ages 35 years and under was such that they

were marrying older brides in 1981 than in 1970.

10
Racial differences

Data ffom 32 States that reported race both in 1970 who were teenagers and smaller declines for white brides

and 1981 show that racial differentials in age at first marriage and grooms and those of other races (figure 6). For example,

increased during the 1970’s. In 1970 almost the same propor- at first marriage the proportion of black brides who were

tion of black and white brides and grooms were teenagers: teenagers was 43 percent in 1970 and dropped to 20 percent

47 percent of white and 43 percent of black brides were by 1981. The proportion of white brides who were teenagers

under 20 years of age; 21 percent of white and 20 percent at first marriage was 47 percent in 1970 and dropped to

of black grooms were under 20. By 1981 there was a pro- 33 percent by 1981. The data for the grooms show a similar

nounced drop in the proportion of black brides and grooms pattern.

46.7

43.1

27.6

33.3

20.3

19.1

1970

Brides

1981

l—l white

= Black .

m Other

21.0

19.8

12.3

14.5

1970

Grooms

9.2

1981

F~ure 6. Percentof bridesandgroomswho wereteenagereatfirstmaniagq by racxx32 Stateq 1970and 1981

11
Nativity status

State of birth is included on marriage records of most

MRA States. Information for 1981 first marriages shows

that the proportion of brides and grooms married in their

State of birth generally decreases up to age 55. About 2

out of 3 teenage brides and grooms marry in their State

of birth compared with 2 out of 5 for those first married

at ages 45–54. The proportion marrying in States adjacent

to their State of birth declined from 14-15 percent for brides

and grooms under 18 years of age to 9–1 1 percent for those

20-24 years; some of the teenage couples may have crossed

State lines specifically to marry where laws were more lenient

(data not shown).

Educational attainment

In 1981 an item showing completed years of school

was on the marriage records of 20 States. Education is,

of course, highly correlated with a person’s age, because

admission into a public school system is determined by the

student’s date of birth. Most brides and grooms who married

after 18 years of age, therefore, had time to complete 12

years of school; that is, to graduate from high school. As

expected, a majority of brides and grooms first marrying

at 18–19 years of age had finished high school, on average,

and many had been to college. The median for brides was

12.4 years of school, and for grooms, 12.3 years. Again,

as expected, most brides and grooms who married under

18 years of age had not graduated. The median years of

schooling was 10.8 for brides and 10.9 for grooms (table

F and table 2).

In addition to medkn years of school completed, table

F also shows the proportion of brides and grooms who had

completed high school or 1 or more years of college. According to these data, teenage brides had more education than

grooms of the same age. Twenty percent more brides than

grooms who first married before the age of 20 had completed

high school. In contrast, the differential was less than 5

percent for brides and grooms first married in their twenties.

The proportion completing high school was about the same

for brides as for grooms first marrying through 45--54 years

of age.

A pattern of higher educational attainment of teenage

brides is also seen in the proportions that completed at least

1 year of college. At ages 18–19 years the proportion was

74 percent higher for brides. The differential decreased with

age until ages 30-34 years, when the proportions were about

the same for brides and grooms. Although grooms first marrying at specified ages under 30 had less education than brides

of the same specified ages, most men had more education,

on the average, than their own brides, who were generally

younger (data not shown).

Table F. Percent of brides and grooms who completed 4 years of high school or more, and 1 year of college or more, with ratio of brides tcrgmoms and median

years of sshool completed by age at first marriage 20 reporting Stateaj 1981

Fsaed on sample data. For a list of reportingStates see table 2]

Completed4 years Completed 1year Median years

of high schoolormore of college or more ofschoolcompleted

Percent Percent Ratio of brides Percent Percent Ratio ofbrides

Age at firstmarriage of brides ofgrooms togrooms of brides ofgrooms togrooms Bride Groom

Alleges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83.2 83.6 1.00 41.6 42.2 0.99 12.6 12.6

Under 16years . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.6 13.9 1.19 16.6 13.9 1.19

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78.0 65.0

10.8 10.9

1.20 13.8 7.9 1.75

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92.1

12.4

85.0

12.3

1.08 49.9 37.0 1.35 13.0 12.7

2%29yeara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93.7 90.9 1.03 66.5 59.4 1.12

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91.0

14.8

90.9

14.2

1.00 65.7 68.1 0.96

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78.6 60.2

15.0 15.3

0.96 46.1 54.1 0.69

45-34 yeers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60.8

12.9

61.4

14.1

0.99 30.2 32.8 0.92

55-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.2

12.4

46.0

12.4

1.28 27.9 19.2 1.45

65years And over . . . . . . . . . . 53.2

12.3

33.0

11.5

1.61 12.8 15.7 0.82 12.1 9.2
Relatively few teenagers divorce. In 1970 an estimated

29,000 teenage women and 6,000 teenage men divorced.

The numbers increased irregularly, peaked in 1975 for women

and in 1978 for men, then dropped (table G). In 1981 an

estimated 36,000 teenage women and 8,000 teenage men

divorced.

Although the numbers of divorces to teenagers are low,

the divorce rate for teenage wives is high (table 3). In 1981

the rate for man-ied women 15-19 years of age was second

only to the rate for those 20-24. The 1981 divorce rate

for manied men 15–19 years of age, although higher than

average, was lower than the d]vorce rates for those in age

SOUPS 20-24,25-29, and 30-34.

Table G. Estimated number of dworces to teenage wives and hualxmck

United States 197&81

[Based on sample data. Estimatebased on proportion of dworsing vsives and husbands in the

divorca-registration area see appendix]

Year LWes Husbands

1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1980 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1979 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1978 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1977 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1976 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1975 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1973 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1972 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1971 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1970 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

36,000

40,000

43,000

45,000

41,000

45,000

46,000

45,000

41,000

36,000

34;000

29,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

12,000

10,000

11,000

10,000

11,000

10,000

8,000

8,000

In 1970 the divorce rate for teenage men was 15.7

per 1,000 married men 15–19 years of age. It rose irregularly

to 48.2 in 1978, then dropped to 33.6 in 1981. The rate

for married women 15–19 years of age was 27.0 per 1,000

in 1970. It rose irregularly until 1979 when it reached 52.9,

then dropped to 47.4 in 1981. The divorce rate for teenage

wives was consistently higher than the divorce rate for teenage

husbands, probably because the teenage men were mamied

for shorter periods before they turned 20 than the women

were. The relative instability of teenage marriages is seen

not on]y by the high divorce rates for women while still

teenagers, but also by the cumulative experience of these

women as they move through their twenties. McCarthy crdculated cumulative probabilities of divorce and found that after

10 years women married at ages 14-17 had 3 times the

probability (.266), and women married at ages 18–19 had

twice the probability (.173) of being divorced as had women

married at ages 20-24 (.089).’0

Regional dtierences

Divorces of persons who married as teenagers were more

common in some regions of the country than in others.

Grouping the DRA States by region shows that the proportion

of women divorced in 1981 who had first married at ages

under 20 years was highest in the South (57 percent), next

highest in the North Central Region (52) and the West (50),

and lowest in the Northeast (39). This is the same order

as was found for the proportion of marriages that involve

teenagers.

Most (73 percent) of the spouses divorcing in 1981 had

been first married in the same State where they were divorcing.

The proportion was slightly higher (75 percent) for men

and women who had married as teenagers (data not shown).

Duration of marriage before divorce

The average length of time from first marriage to decree

is shown in table H. In general, duration shortens with increased age at first marriage. For women who had been

teenage brides, duration to decree in 1981 was 10.2 years

compared with 9.8 for women first married at 20-24 years,

8.6 years for women married at ages 25–29, and 8.0 years

for women married in their thirties. In contrast, duration

of dissolving first marriages of men who had been teenage

grooms (9.7 years) was shorter than the duration for men

first married at ages 20-24. After that, duration shortened

for each older age group. Thus, paradoxically, even though

TWeH. Averageduration to decree of diig first marriages for wives

and huaban@ by age at ~ Givorca-registration arq 1981

&strd on sample data]

Ageaf ftatmartiage Wtie Husband

Alleges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.8 9.9

Under 20years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.2 9.7

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.6 10.2

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.6 9.7

W-34years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.0 8.8

35-39 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.0 8.4

40-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.1 7.6

45years andover . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.6 5.6

13
marriages of men and women married as teenagers have

higher dissolution rates, more time elapses before the marriages break up.

Children involved in divorces

In this discussion the word “childless” is used to describe

husbands and wives whose divorce records showed no minor

children at the time of divorce. The expression “parents”

is used where records indicated that there were children

under 18 involved in the divorce. The children could have

been adopted, or they could be foster children. The discussion

is restricted to tlrst marriages and the children of such unions.

Data collected from 1981 dissolutions of first marriage

indicate that divorces of persons married as teenagers are

more likely to involve children than are divorces of those

married at older ages. Table J shows the percent of husbands

and wives who were parents at divorce, according to age

at first marriage. Seventy-three percent of the divorcing

women who had married as teenagers were mothers compared

with 55 percent of women married at 20-24 years and 42

percent of women married at 25–29 years. Seventy-six percent

of the divorcing men who married as teenagers were fathers

compared with 63 percent of men married at 20-24 and

49 percent of those who married at 25–29.

Divorcing men and women who married as teenagers

are not only more likely to be parents, they also tend to

Table J. Percent of wives and husbanda who were parents and average

number of children per decree in diasolutiona of first marriages of both

spouses, by age at marnagt% Oivorea-registration area, 1981

[Sased on sample data]

Percent who Average number of

were parents children per decree

Age at firatmarriage Wives Husbands Wives Husbands

Allages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Under 20years . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2&29yesrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-39 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4044years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45years Andover . . . . . . . . . .

63.1 63.0

72.7 75.6

55.4 62.8

41.7 48.6

33.0 44.1

23.4 41.3

12.1 33.1

11.4 24.7

1.1

1.3

1.0

0.7

0.5

0.4

0.2

0.2

1.1

1.4

1.1

0.9

0.8

0.8

0.6

0.5

have larger families. Thirteen percent of divorcing women

who married as teenagers had three or more children compared

with 9 percent of women married at 20-24 years of age

and 6 percent of women married at 25–29 years. The trend

by age of husband at marriage was similar. Thus, the average

number of children per decree falls regularly as age at marriage

increases (table J), being greatest (1.4 children per decree)

for men who were teenage grooms.

Educational attainment of

divorcing spouses

The number of years of school completed by divorcing

husbands and wives was an item reported by 20 DRA States

in 1981. The data show an increasing level of (education

with increased age at marriage for those first married under

30 years of age (tables K and 4). Divorcing men and women

who had married as teenagers had less education than those

married in their twenties. For example, in dissolutions of

first marriage, divorcing women who had married at ages

under 18 years had a median of 12.0 years of school, women

married at 18– 19 years of age had 12.5 years, and women

married at 20-24 years and 25–29 years had 12.9 years

of school at the time they were divorced. Furthermore, only

7 percent of divorcing women first married under 18 years

of age had education beyond high school compared with

20 percent of women first married at ages 18–19 and 45

percent of women married at ages 20-24.

Divorcing women who had first married at ages under

30 generally had more education than men married at the

same ages. Seven percent more divorcing wives than husbands

who first married before the age of 18 had completed high

school by the time of their divorce. For those ‘who had

first married at 18–19 years, 17 percent more wives than

husbands had completed high school and 18 percent more

had completed at least 1 year of college. The data in table

K suggest that marriage at early ages is less disruptive to

women’s education than it is to men’s.

Table K. Peroent of divoroing wives and husbands who completed 4 years of high eehool or more and 1 year of college or more, with ratio of wives to husbands

snd median yeare of school completed, by age at marriage for dissolutions of first marriage: 20 reporting Stste~ 18S1

[6aaed on sample data. For a Iii of reporling States, see table 4]

Comp/eted4 years Completed 1year Median years

of high schoolormore of college or more ofschoolcompleted

Percent Percent Ratio of wives Percent Percent Ratio of wives

Age at firstmarriage of wives of husbands tohusbands of wives ofhusbands to husbands Wife Husband

Allages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80.5 78.6 1.02 30.3 32.9 0.92 12.6 12.6

Under 18years . . . . . . . . . . . . 49.6 46.4 1.07 7.0 9.3 0.75

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63.5

12.0

71.1

11.7

1.17 19.8 16.7 1.18

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90.6

12.5

82.1

12.4

1.10 45.2 35.9

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.25

87.3 83.8

12.9 12.7

1.04 47.4 45.8 1.03

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76.2 77.3

12.9 12.9

0.99 35.9 36.0 0.94

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66.5

i 2.7

64.6

12.7

1.03 24.3 23.9 1.02

45-54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56.3

12.4

60.5

12.4

0.93 16.6 16.3 0.91 12.2 12.2

14
References

‘U. S. Bureau of the Census: Estimates of the population by age,

sex, and race, April 1, 1960 to July 1, 1973. Current Population

Reports. Series P–25, No. 519. Washington. U.S. Government

Printing Office, Apr. 1974.

ZU.s . B~eau of the Census: Preliminary estimates of the population

of the United States, by age, sex, and race, 197&81. Current

Population Reports. Series P–25, No. 917. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Apr. 1979.

3U. S. Bureau of the Census: Marital status and family status, March

1970. Current Population Reports. Series P-20, No. 212.

Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Feb. 1971.

4U s Bu~au of the Census: Marital status and IiViIIgarrangements,

M&ch 1981. Current Population Reports. Series P-20, No. 372.

Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, June 1982.

5M. M. Marini: The transition to adulthood: Sex differences in

educational attainment and age at marriage. Am. Sot. R.

43:483–507. 1978.

6National Center for Health Statistics, B. F. Wilson and E. Hume:

Fkst Marriages, United States, 1968-76. Vital and Health Statistics.

Series 21, No. 35. DHEW Pub. No. (PHS) 79-1913. Public Health

Service. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Sept. 1979.

TB F Wilson ~d G. C. Myers: Marital Pattern Variations Between

. .

Catholics and Protestants. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting

of the Population Association of America. Minneapolis, Minn.,

May 2–5, 1984.

‘Council of State Governments: The Book of the States, 1968-69

and 1980-81, Vol. 23. Lexington, KY-, Council of State

Governments.

9B. F. Wilson: Age Differences Between Spouses and Marital Instability. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America. San Diego, Calif., April 29-May 1, 1982.

ioJ Mc&.@: pa~ems of M~age Dissolution in the United States.

Doctoral dissertation. Princeton University, 1977.

15
List of detailed tables

1. Marriage rates for all marriages and first marriages, by 3. Estimated divorce rates, by age of wife and husband at

sex and age: Marriage-registration area, 1970--81 . 17 decree: United States, 1970-81 . . , . . . . . . . . . 19

2. Percent distribution of all marriages and first marriages 4. Percent dkribution of all dissolutions and dissolutions of

by education of bride and groom, with median years of first marriages by education of wife and husband, with

school completed, according to age at marriage: 20 reporting median years of school completed, according to age at

States, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...18 marriage: 20 reporting States, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . 20

16
Table 1. Marriage rates for M martiagea and first maniageaj by aex and age Marriege+agiatra60n areq 19-1

[Based on sample data. tiates for all marriages are based on the unmarried populatiw for first marriages, on the never-matied fmpu!ation. Rates per 1,000 population in specified group enumerated

as of April 1 for 1970 and 1980 and estimated as of July 1 for all other years. Beginning in 1977 fgures exclude data for Iowa]

Praviousmantal

status, sex, and age 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970

All marriages

Women, alleges . . . . . . . . . . .

15-17 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.5+4 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2S29 years . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . .

3.5+4 years . . . . . . . . . . .

4S64years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years Andover . . . . . . . . . .

Men, all ages . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15-17 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 yeara . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . .

45-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years Andover . . . . . . . . . .

First marriages

Women, alleges . . . . . . . . . . .

15-17 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . .

45-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years andover . . . . . . . . . .

Men, all ages . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15-17 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 yeara . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . .

45-64 yeers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

05years Andover . . . . . . . . . .

54.3

19.1

63.6

121.7

99.9

129.2

96.2

65.9

17.6

2.2

66.8

2.9

36.9

96.0

116.3

129.4

119.8

96.7

51.4

14.8

64.9

18.7

60.7

110.0

79.3

102.6

62.7

31.6

7.9

0.9

53.6

2.9

36.2

69.6

63.7

106.5

70.8

35.5

12.5

2.8

54.2

20.2

90.9

130.6

96.5

126.3

95.0

62.3

17.3

2.2

66.8

3.0

39.2

100.4

121.2

131.2

122.8

102.0

49.1

15.2

66.0

19.6

67.3

119.6

74.9

101.6

56.3

27.1

7.0

0.9

54.7

2.9

36.4

94.5

87.9

109.9

75.5

37.2

11.6

2.9

56.4

22.1

94.8

134.6

102.0

135.5

102.5

64.7

19.0

2.7

69.4

3.2

42.7

109.0

129.5

142.6

129.0

107.6

51.4

16.2

67.6

21.6

91.7

121.9

76.6

104.3

60.1

28.4

7.8

0.9

56.3

3.2

41.9

102.4

89.5

115.5

74.2

36.8

10.8

3.0

56.2

23.6

99.2

136.0

102.3

137.0

103.0

64.2

19.1

2.0

69.4

3.6

45.0

112.2

134.5

146.2

136.9

112.6

50.6

13.2

66.2

23.0

95.6

123.0

77.1

106.7

60.0

27.0

7.9

1.0

56.4

3.5

44.3

105.2

91.1

118.5

76.8

37.0

10.3

2.5

56.8

25.2

103.6

140.1

104.8

139.3

105.4

66.9

19.4

2.2

69.9

3.8

47.6

175.4

138.3

150.8

143.4

112.5

50.8

14.2

69.2

24.6

99.6

125.6

76.6

105.7

84.3

29.6

8.6

1.0

56.7

3.7

46.7

107.7

91.9

119.3

76.0

37.3

11.6

2.5

56.4

27.2

110.1

148.2

109.2

143.3

114.1

69.4

20.8

2.2

71.8

4.3

52.4

121.5

141.2

158.0

143.0

114.8

!33.7

15.6

72.0

26.5

105.1

133.4

61.6

109.1

67.2

30.0

9.3

1.1

56.2

4.2

51.0

113.0

91.7

119.8

72.8

39.3

12.4

3.1

60.5

30.1

119.6

157.5

113.5

152.7

114.1

73.0

20.6

2.4

74.4

4.7

56.5

129.6

146.3

168.1

145.6

113.4

52.7

16.8

75.9

29.3

115.0

143.8

81.7

114.6

62.4

31.8

9.2

1.2

61.5

4.6

57.4

121.7

96.7

132.3

78.2

37.2

13.0

3.0

65.0

34.8

138.9

174.6

116.7

158.9

117.6

75.2

21.4

23

80.0

5.7

67.9

150.9

148.4

178.1

154.0

105.5

54.3

17.2

83.5

33.9

133.5

159.5

85.7

122.3

88.2

35.0

9.6

0.6

66.0

5.6

66.6

141.8

100.4

141.0

63.3

37.4

12.6

3.5

69.3

37.7

150.4

194.1

125.2

176.2

125.6

79.6

22.6

2.4

85.5

6.0

73.7

165.0

180.3

190.6

169.6

113.5

60.6

16.6

90.9

36.8

144.8

177.1

94.6

135.7

74.5

41.1

11.3

1.0

73.9

6.0

72.2

155.6

109.9

158.1

88.0

41.4

15.6

3.6

71.2

39.3

157.1

209.4

124.6

175.5

130.2

78.4

22.4

2.4

87.9

6.0

77.1

176.1

160.5

206.2

158.2

107.4

62.6

16.4

95.1

38.4

151.9

192.9

94.2

134.8

76.5

39.9

10.8

1.1

77.2

5.9

75.6

166.2

111.6

167.1

67.3

41.9

16.5

3.7

69.8

36.7

156.6

216.6

120.6

172.4

126.2

76.5

21.4

2.4

85.9

5.6

73.0

177.5

156.4

201.2

143.9

110.0

56.4

16.7

93.3

35.6

150.3

197.7

69.2

131.2

75.0

37.6

9.5

1.4

75.2

5.5

71.2

165.6

106.9

156.5

80.6

43.8

14.6

3.2

69.4

35.8

156.7

234.2

111.3

170.1

111.3

69.2

20.9

2.4

88.4

5.4

74.4

205.7

164.0

217.6

160.8

107.2

54.9

15.6

93.1

35.0

151.4

220.1

82.5

132.8

66.5

31.4

6.8

1.1

80.4

5.2

73.0

195.7

119.6

181.5

96.8

44.7

14.1

3.4

17
Teble 2. Percent distribution of all marriages and first marriages by education of bride and groom, with median yeare of achml completed, according to age

at marriage: 20 reporting States, 1981

[Based on sample data]

Years of school completed

Elementsryandhigh school College

Age at marriage Total 0-% years 9-11 years 12years 1–3 years 4 years 5years ormore Median years

All marriages

Brides, alleges . . . . . . . . . . .

Under 18years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18-19 years.. . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2S29years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4S54years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years andover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Grooms, allages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Under 18years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16-19 yaars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45-54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

First marriages

Brides, all ages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Under 16years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45-54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Grooms, all ages . . . . . . . . .

Urrder18 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4$54years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years andover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

f 00.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

3.6

10.0

2.2

1.7

2.1

2.9

5.5

13.2

21.0

29.8

4.9

10.4

4.3

2.6

2.5

3.4

6.2

13.8

22.9

37.7

2.6

9.8

2.0

1.4

2.0

3.0

8.9

24.5

25.3

35.2

3.2

10.4

4.3

2.5

2.4

3.2

8.9

22.3

32.4

47.6

15.1

73.4

21.0

9.1

8.3

10.2

15.1

18.1

17.5

19.9

13.2

75.6

31.0

13.4

9.0

7.9

11.2

13.4

14.7

14.6

14.2

73.6

20.1

6.4

4.3

5.9

12.6

14.7

13.4

11.6

13.2

75.7

30.7

12.4

6.7

5.9

10.9

16.2

19,5

19.2

42.9

16.5

83.4

43.9

36.5

37.9

41.7

41.7

38.9

29.0

40.6

13.8

56.6

46.5

36.3

30.8

35.2

33.9

32.0

25.0

41.6

16.4

64.2

42.2

27.2

25.4

30.5

30.6

33.3

40.4

41.4

13.7

57.1

48.0

31.5

22.8

26.1

28.6

28.8

17.3

22.1

0.2

13.4

29.0

23.9

23.1

20.9

16.2

13.5

11.4

20.9

7.6

22.9

23.6

24.9

20.2

15.3

11.8

10.0

23.0

0.2

13.7

31.2

24.3

21.2

13.8

11.6

12.3

3.2

21.3

0.2

7.8

23.6

24.1

22.1

18.0

13.8

7.7

5.4

11.2

0.1

13.8

16.8

+4.1

9.0

5.9

6.4

6.6

12.4

0.1

10.0

17.4

17.5

12.9

12.2

10.3

6.9

13.3

0.1

15.7

26.9

23.1

16.0

8.6

11.3

5.2

13.3

0.1

10.6

21.2

23.4

14.9

9.9

6.6

9.0

5.1

2.7

10.4

11.8

7.6

5.0

2.9

3.3

8.1

0.0

2.7

11.2

15.5

14.4

11.4

6.4

5.8

5.3

—

—

3.0

15.3

21.4

18.3

9.6

4.3

4.4

7.6

2.8

14.1

22.6

21.2

9.1

4.9

1.3

12.7

10.6

12.4

12.9

13.4

13.0

12.7

12.5

12.3

12.0

12.8

10.9

12.3

12.7

13.3

14.1

12.9

12.7

12.4

11.4

12.8

10.8

12.4

13.0

14.8

15.0

12.4

12.4

12.3

12.1

12.6

10.9

12.3

12.7

14.2

15.3

14.1

12.4

11.5

9.2

NOTE: The 20 reporling States are California, Connecticut, Hawati, Illinols, Kansas, Lou!siana, Msine, Mississippi, Mk.souri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Rhede Islsnd,

Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, VJsconsin, and Wyommg.

18
Tabk 3. Estimateddworoe rateaj by age of wife and husband at decree United Stateaj 1970-S1

[Basedonsampledata. Ratespar 1,000 marriedpopulationinspecifiedgroup.Far mefhcdof astimatkm,see appendix]

Age at decree 1981 1980 1979 7978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970

Wife

15years Andover . . . . . . . . . .

15-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 yeara . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3544yeara . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4E-54years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55-84 yeara . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65yearsand over . . . . . . . . . .

Husband

15yeara Andover . . . . . . . . . .

15-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 yesrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45-54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years Andover . . . . . . . . . .

22.6

47.4

50.2

43.9

33.9

23.8

10.7

2.8

1.5

23.0

33.6

50.1

46.6

39.1

28.7

14.5

5.9

2.1

22.5

45.9

52.2

43.3

33.2

23.2

10.1

3.8

1.6

22.7

31.4

51.0

47.2

38.2

27.6

14.0

5.6

2.2

22.8

52.9

51.6

44.0

33.3

22.8

10.2

4.2

1.5

23.1

38.6

52.8

48.7

39.1

27.6

13.9

5.7

2.3

21.9

47.8

52.1

41.9

31.4

21.3

9.8

3.8

1.5

22.2

48.2

52.2

46.9

36.6

25.7

13.2

5.6

2.0

21.1

41.6

47.7

39.6

30.5

20.6

9.8

4.3

1.7

21.5

35.0

47.6

44.0

35.0

25.6

13.2

5.9

2.4

21.1

41.1

46.6

39.3

30.2

20.6

9.9

4.2

1.6

21.4

28.6

47.9

43.6

35.4

25.1

13.2

5.9

2.4

20.3

42.0

43.7

38.6

28.3

19.5

9.8

4.3

1.6

20.7

30.9

44.1

42.8

33.7

23.6

13.0

5.7

2.3

19.3

37.0

42.3

36.4

26.8

16.3

9.3

4.2

1.7

19.7

30.8

41.3

40.9

32.0

22.6

12.1

5.6

2.3

18.2

33.5

39.6

33.7

25.3

17.6

9.2

3.9

1.5

18.5

23.6

40.3

37.4

30.0

21.1

12.0

5.5

2.1

17.0

34.3

36.8

31.1

23.4

16.5

8.9

3.7

1.3

17.3

24.2

37.9

34.6

28.7

19.9

11.2

5.1

2.0

15.8

33.5

35.2

28.2

21.9

15.2

8.4

3.4

1.4

16.4

24.9

37.9

33.8

26.3

18.4

11.0

4.6

1.9

14.9

27.0

35.0

27.4

20.2

14.1

7.7

3.1

1.4

15.1

15.7

34.8

31.8

23.7

16.9

9.9

4.6

2.0

19
Table 4. Percent distribution of all dissolutions and dissolutions of first maniages by education of wife and husbsnd, with median years of school completed,

according to age at marriage 20 rapor6ng State& 1981

[Baaed on sample data]

Yeara ofschoolcompleted

Elementary and high school College

Age ToW W yeara 9-11 years 12years 1-3 yeara 4 years 5years ormore Median yeare

All divorces

Women, allages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Under 18years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3S44years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45-54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Men, all ages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Under 18years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 yeara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45-54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55-64 yesrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65years andover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dissolutions of

first marriages

Women, allagesl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Under 18years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2S29years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3C-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45-54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Men, allages’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Under 18years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16-19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20-24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25-29 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45-54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

5.5

10.0

3.1

3.2

5.3

8.0

11.9

18.5

23.3

35.8

7.8

12.2

5.9

5.2

7.2

9.6

15.3

21.3

31.6

42.0

4.8

9.8

2,9

2.8

8.0

12.7

22.4

27.1

6.6

12.3

5.9

5.0

7.4

12.1

22.7

28.7

15.8

40.4

14.4

9.0

11.5

16.2

16.9

19.3

17.9

20.6

15.3

41.2

23.3

13.7

11.1

13.4

14.7

14.2

13.3

14.0

14.7

40.4

13.5

6.6

8.8

11.0

11.0

16.7

14.9

41.3

23.1

12.8

8.8

10.5

12.6

10.8

Percent distribution

50.1

42.7

63.0

46.9

45.9

46.0

47.4

43.6

42.7

30.2

45.4

37.4

54.4

46.5

41.0

42.8

43.0

39.4

35.5

27.4

50.2

42.8

63.7

45.4

39.9

40.3

42.2

39.7

45.7

37.1

54.4

46.2

38.0

39.3

40.7

42.2

17.3

5.5

15.6

23.0

19.3

17.2

14.5

11.7

8.0

7.7

16.2

6.6

11.6

18.0

18.9

16.0

12.8

11.4

9.6

7.3

17.7

5.6

15.8

24.6

19.1

14.0

10.1

4.9

16.4

6.7

11.9

18.3

16.7

13.7

8.9

6.8

7.3

1.0

2.8

12.0

11.0

7.3

5.3

3.8

5.0

2.7

9.3

1.9

3.3

10.2

12.9

10.3

8.2

7.6

5.9

4.9

8.3

1.0

2.9

13.8

17.2

11.7

7.3

6.4

10.0

1.6

3.3

10.6

15.9

13.3

9.0

5.7

3.9 12.6

0.4 12.0

1.1 12.5

5.8 12.8

6.9 12.7

5.4 12.6

3.9 12.4

3.1 12.3

3.1 12.2

2.8 11.2

6.1 12.6

0.8 11.7

1.4 12.4

6.4 12.7

8.8 12.8

7.8 12.6

6.1 12.5

6.2 12.4

4.1 12.2

4.4 10.5

4.3 12.6

0.4 12.0

1.1 12.5

6.8 12.9

11.1 12.9

i 0,2 12.7

8.9 12.4

5.3 12.2

6.5 12.6

0.8 11.7

1.5 12.4

6.8 12.7

11.2 12.9

11.0 12.7

6.0 12.4

3.6 12.2

1Includes agea not shown separately.

NOTE: The 20 reporting States are Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Misaoun, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New YOIIG Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah,

Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

20
Appendix

Technical notes

Registration areas 3. Regular reporting to the State office by all local areas

Registration areas for the collection of marriage and

in which marriages or divorces are recorded.

divorce statistics were established in 1957 and in 1958, respec4. Tests for completeness and accuracy of marriage or ditively. The registration areas include States with adequate

vorce registration carried out in cooperation with the

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

programs for collecting marriage and divorce statistics. Criteria

for participation in the registration areas are: In 1970 the marriage-registration area (MRA) included

1. A central file of marriage or divorce records.

39 States and the District of Columbia while the divorce-regis2. A statistical report form conforming closely in content

tration area (DRA) included 28 States. By 1981 the MRA

to the U.S. Standard Certificate of Marriage or the U.S.

had grown to 42 States and the District of Columbia and

Standard Certificate of Divorce, Dissolution of Marriage,

the DRA to 31 States. Table I shows the States and the

years they were admitted to the-registration areas.

or Annulment.

Table 1. Yeare central files of marriage and divorce reoords were established and yeare areas were admitted to the marrfage- and dworce-registration

area= 1981

me marriage-registration area (MRA) was established Januarj 1,1957, and the dworca-registration area (DRA), January 1, 195S]

Martiagea Divorces Marriages Divorces

Central Admitted Central Admitted Central Admitted Central Admitted

files to the tiles to the files to the files to the

Area established MRA established DRA Area established A.4RA establiahd DRA

Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . .

Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Arizon a . . . . . . . . . . . .

Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . .

California . . . . . . . . . . . .

Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . .

Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . .

Delaware . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oistrict of Columbia . . . . . . .

Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Idaho . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Indiana . . . . . . . . . . . . .

lowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kansas . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . .

Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . .

Massachusetts . . . . . . . .

Michigan . . . . . . . .. . . . .

Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . .

Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Montana . . . . . . . . . . . .

1908

1913

(’)

1917

1905

1968

1897

1913

1811

1927

1952

1896

1947

1962

1959

1660

1913

1956

1937

1692

1914

1841

1867

1956

1926

1946

1943

1957

1957

!?

1957

1979

1957

1957

1961

1957

1957

1957

1957

1984

1961

1957

1957

1959

1957

1957

i 957

1961

1957

1971

1957

1968

1957

1 em

1949

(’)

1923

1962

1968

1947

1935

1802

1927

1952

1951

1947

1962

(’)

1914

1951

1956

1942

1892

1914

1882

1897

1970

1926

1948

1943

1958

1958

:

(3)

(9

1968

1961

(2)

(9

1958

1958

1958

1968

(7

1958

1959

1969

(3

(2)

1959

1979

1961

(9

(2)

1esl

1956

Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . .

New Hampshire . . . . . . . . .

New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . .

New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . .

New York (axcl. N.Y.C.) . . . . .

New York City . . . . . . . . .

North Carolina . . . . . . . . . .

North Dakota . . . . . . . . . .

Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pennsylvania . . . . . . . .

Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . .

South Carolina . . . . . . . .

South Dakota . . . . . . . . . .

Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . .

Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Washington . . . . . . . . . . .

West Virginia . . . . . . . . . .

Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wyoming . . . . . . . . . . . .

1909

1968

1856

1a4a

(’)

1880

1847

1962

1925

1949

,A;

1908

1852

1950

1905

1945

1966

1919

1857

1853

1966

1921

1907

1941

1957

(2)

1957

1957

(9

1957

1965

1984

(7

1957

(9

1957

1957

1957

1971

1957

1957

(9

1957

1957

1957

(9

1965

1957

1957

1909

1868

1881

1795

(’)

1963

1983 1

1958

1949

1949

(’)

1925

1943

1962

1962

1905

1945

1963

1953

1896

1918

1968

1967

1907

1941

1958

(2)

1979

(2)

(9

1969

(2)

(9

1962

19!2

1956

1983

1971

1956

1958

(9

1958

1968

1958

(9

(9

1956

1958

1Netyet established.

‘Not yet admitted.

3Caliiomia was admitted to the DRA in 19S3 but ceased to participate in 197s.

21
In 1970 and 1980 efforts were made to obtain national

marriage data to use with the detailed population bases available from the decennial censuses. In 1970 marriage records

were sampled for eight States not in the MRA: Arkansas,

Colorado, Minnesota, Nevada, North ~akota, South Carolina,

Texas, and Washington. With the addition of these States,

marriage data by age and States of residence for the bride

and groom are available for the entire United States with

the exception of three States without central files of marriage

records (Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma). In 1980

marriage records were sampled for Arkansas, Nevada, North

Dakota, Texas, and Washington; Colorado, Minnesota, and

South Carolina had joined the MRA between 1970 and 1980.

Sources of data

The marriage and divorce statistics presented in this report

were derived primarily from data collected annually by NCHS

and published in Vital Statistics of the United States, Volume

III, Marriage and Divorce. They are based on information

from two sources: (1) Complete counts of events obtained

from all States, and (2) samples of marriage and divorce

certificates from the MRA and DRA. Statistical information

obtained by NCHS from the certificates of States that constitute

the MRA and DRA includes data on the characteristics of

marriages and divorces and of the persons involved in them,

such as date and place of marriage, age, race, and number

of previous marriages.

Marriage and divorce statistics for the United States,

for the registration areas, and for individual States are tabulated

by place of occurrence and include marriages of nonresidents.

Marriages or divorces of members of the Armed Forces

or of other U.S. nationals that occur outside the United

States are excluded. United States refers to the 50 States

and the District of Columbia. The term “divorce” as used

in this report includes absolute divorces and annulments and

decrees of marriage dissolution, which recently replaced divorces in several States. Various types of limited divorce

are excluded. The words “divorce” and “dissolution of marriage” are used interchangeably.

Sampling

Marriage and divorce records were sampled at different

rates to give a minimum sample of approximately 2,500

records for each State, producing a 4-percent relative variance

on a 1-percent estimate. All records were sampled for States

with fewer than 5,000 records and for New York City marriages. All records were also used for States in the Vital

Statistics Cooperative Program (VSCP). These participating

States supplied State-coded data. Beginning in 1973 with

Florida, the number of States that supplied marriage records

through VSCP grew to 9 in 1975 with the addition of Maine,

Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode

Island, South Carolina, and Vermont. Virginia was added

in 1976, and Illinois and Montana brought the total to 12

VSCP States for the 1977-81 period. State-coded data tapes

of divorce records were used starting in 1975 for 6 States—

Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Rhode Island, South

Carolina, and Vermont. Virginia was added in 1976 and

Illinois in 1977, bringing the total to 8 States for the 1977–81

period.

Estimates computed from the samples (except where the

sample included all records) are subject to sampling error.

Because all cases in the samples were selected with known

probabilities, the sampling error can be calculated for each

estimate. Table II shows sampling errors for the MRA and

the DRA in 1981. These are the amounts which, when added

to and subtracted from the estimates, give the intervals where

the quantity being estimated would fall, in approximately

68 out of 100 similarly selected samples.

Table Il. Sampling error of estimated frequency, expressed as a percent

of area total: Marriage- and dworce-registration areas, 1981

Samplingerror

Percent of total Marriage- Divorcaregtstration area registration registration

events in subclass area area

lor99 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2or 98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3or97 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4or 96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5or 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7or 93 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

100r 90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

150r 65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

200r80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

250r75 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

50. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

417

586

714

821

913

1,069

1,256

1,495

1,675

1,814

2,094

176

248

303

348

387

453

532

633

709

768

887

Demographic characteristics

Most of the items tabulated for marriages and divorces

were on the certificates of nearly all areas in the MRA

or in the DRA. For marriages, items on age at marriage

or date of birth were included by every MRA State and

the District of Columbia and were well reported. For divorces,

date of marriage and number of children were included on

the certificate of every DRA State and were well reported.

National estimates of marriages and divorces by age

and sex were obtained by assuming that the age dMributions

of brides and grooms and of husbands and wives were the

same in the United States as in the MRA and DRA. The

percent distributions from the registration areas were applied

to the total count of marriages and divorces for the United

States.

Certificates vary among States in the way that information

on marriage order is collected. The item may be number

of this marriage, number of previous marriages,, previous

marital status, or a combination of the items.

Not all States record race on marriage and divorce certificates. During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the question

was removed from marriage records of several States, and

in some other jurisdictions the item was ignored. By 1981

the item appeared on the marriage forms of 34 registration

States but in this report is analyzed only for the 32 States

for which data were available both in 1970 and 1981. Race

22
appears as an item on the 1981 divorce certificates of 27

States in the DRA. Race was not reported on more than

10 percent of the certificates for Oregon, Pennsylvania. South

Dakota, and Utah in 1981. For other States that included

this item on their certificates, race was reported fairly

well.

Beginning in 1977 items on race, previous marital status,

number of marriage, and education were no longer reported

on Iowa marriage certificates.

In California nonlicensed marriages are performed under

section 4213 of the California Civil Code, which allows

unmarried couples who have been living together to be married

confidentially without obtaining a marriage license or health

certificate. (Ordinarily a physician’s examination and tests

for syphilis and rubella are required.) In March 1972 this

section was amended to require county clerks to keep sealed

records of these marriages and periodically to report the

total number to the California State Department of Health

Services. These records may not be opened to inspection

without a court order. Since reporting began, nonlicensed

marriages have increased rapidly, totaling 2,857 in 1973;

10,555 in 1974; 19,061 in 1975; 30,125 in 1976; 32,008

in 1977; 37,462 in 1978; 41,961 in 1979; 48,040 in 1980;

and 54,057 in 1981. Beginning in 1978 these marriages

are included in the national and geographical totals.

Estimates, rates, percents,

means, and medians

National estimates of marriages and divorces in the United

States by age were derived by applying the percent distributions by age in the MRA and DRA to the total number

of marriages and divorces in the United States. These estimates

for teenagers are shown in tables A and G. The age-specific

divorce rates shown in table 3 use these national estimates

as the numerators.

Marriage rates for 1970 and 1980 and divorce rates

for 1970 are based on the complete count of persons enumerated as of April 1 of those years. Divorce rates for 1980

are based on a sample of the population enumerated as of

April 1. All other rates are based on estimates of the resident

population as of July 1. Estimates of the resident population

by age, marital status, and sex for the United States and

for the MRA were prepared by the Bureau of the Census.

Percents, means, and medians were computed excluding cases

with information not stated.

‘U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1985-461-361:30001

23
VW and Health Statistics

seriesdescriptions

SERIES 1.

SERIES 2.

SERIES 3.

SERIES4.

SERIES 5.

SERIES 10.

SERIES 11.

SERIES 12.

SERIES 13.

Programs and Collection Procedures–Repons describing

the general programs of the National Center for Health

Statistics and its offices and divisions and the data collection methods used. They also include definitions and

other material necessary for understanding the data.

Data Evaluation and Methods Research –Studies of new

statistical methodology including experimental tests of

new suwey methods, studies of vital statistics collection

methods, new analytical techniques, objective evaluations

of reliability of collected ~ata, and contributions to

statistical theory. Studies also include comparison of

U.S. methodology with those of other countries.

Analytical and Epidemiological Studies-Reports presenting analytical or interpretive studies based on vital

and health statistics, carrying the analysis further than

the expository typas of reports in the other series.

Documents and Committee Reports- Final reports of

major committees concerned with vital and health statistics and documents such as recommended model vital

registration laws and revised birth and death certificates.

Comparative International Vital and Health Statistics

Reports-Analytical and descriptive reports comparing

U.S. vital and health statistics with those of other countries.

Data From the National Health Interview Survay-Statistics on illness, accidental injuries, disability, use of hospital, medical, dental, and other seruices, and other

health-related topics, all based on data collected in the

continuing national household interview survey.

Data From the National Health Examination Survey and

the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey–

Data from direct examination, testing, and measurement

of national samples of the civilian noninstitutional ized

population provide the basis for (1} estimates of the

medically defined prevalence of specific diseases in the

United States and the distributions of the population

with respect to physical, physiological, and psychological characteristics and (2) analysis of relationships

among the various measurements without reference m

an explicit finite universe of persons.

Data From the Institutionalized Population Surveys-Discontinued in 1975. Reports from these surveys are included in Series 13.

Data on Health Resources Utilization-Statistics on the

utilization of health manpower and facilities providing

long-term care, ambulatory care, hospital care, and family

planning services.

SERIES 14.

SERIES 15.

SERIES 20,

SERIES 21.

SERIES 22.

SERIES 23.

Data on Health Resources: Manpower and FacilitiesStatistics on the numbers, geographic distribution, and

characteristics of health resources including physicians,

dentists, nurses, other health occupations, hospitals,

nursing homes, and outpatient facilities.

Data From Special Surveys-Statistics on health and

health-related topics collected in special surveys that

are not a part of the continuing data systems of the

National Center for Health Statistics.

Data on Mortal iW-Various statistics on mortality other

than as included in regular annual or monthly reports.

Special analyses by cause of death, age, and other demographic variables; geographic and time series analyses;

and statistics on characteristics of deaths not available

from the vital records based on sample surveys of those

records,

Data on Natality, Marriage, and Divorce–Various statistics on natality, marriage, and divorce other than as

included in regular annual or monthly reports. Special

analyses by demographic variables; geographic and time

series analyses; studies of fertility; and statistics on

characteristics of births not available from the vital

records based on sample surveys of those records.

Data From the National Mortality and Natality Surveys–

Discontinued in 1975, Reports from these sample surveys

based on vital records are included in Series 20 and 21,

respectively.

Data From the National Survey of Family Growth–

Statistics on fertility, family formation and dissolution,

family planning, and related maternal and infant health

topics derived from a periodic survey of a nationwide

probability sample of ever-married women 1544 years

of age.

For answers to questions about this report or for a list of titles of

reports published in these series, contact:

Scientific and Technical Information Branch

National Center for Health Statistics

Public Health Service

Hyattsville, Md. 20782

301-436-8500
US. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Pubhc Health Serwce

National Center for Health Statst]cs

3700 East-West Highway

Hyattsville, Man/land 20782

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