As a result, sociologists now estimate that the percentage of Americans who never marry will grow, from 5 percent to about 10 percent of the population, in years ahead. The social forces behind these shifts run deep and will last well beyond 2000. The most obvious is the advent of broader career opportunities for women. Today it's easier for either spouse to walk away if they're unhappy. It isn't that marriage isn't taken seriously today, but it's less necessary.
Cohabitation is on the increase because the social taboos against it have weakened.
But it can also be a steppingstone to marriage and an attempt to reduce the risk of marital failure by building the relationship before exchanging vows. Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by members of the Coalition.