As a result, many are increasingly turning to cohabitation. A new U.S. Census report found that since 1970 the number of unmarried couples living together has increased seven fold. Over the last decade alone, it has skyrocketed 85 percent. Today, almost 3.7 million American households are composed of unmarried couples. Demographers now say cohabitation has become an acceptable stage of life.
Many young people see cohabitation as giving marriage a trial run.
In an age of skyrocketing divorce rates, cohabitation appears to provide the insurance couples need to have a successful marriage. After all, by living together, a couple can work out the rough areas before they take the marriage vow. But over and over again, statistics show us that couples that live together before marriage have a 50 percent higher divorce rate. Americans are turning to cohabitation as security against divorce. But in doing so, they are placing their cherished relationships in even greater jeopardy.