Did you know that according to government estimates, approximately 50 percent of all first time marriages will survive at least 20 years? At a time when it feels like divorce rates are on the rise, this fact is important to remember. It’s also interesting to note that based on research from the National Center for Health Statistics, women who received a college education and were married for the first time between 2006 and 2010 have almost an 80 percent chance of having a lasting marriage of 20 or more years. This number compares to 40 percent of those women who married during the same time period with a high school degree or less.
Statistics of a Lasting Marriage
The chances of having a lasting marriage is derived from historical data from the National Survey of Family Growth, which contains data from a representative sample of men and women in the US who were between the ages of 15 to 44 during the time-span of 2006 and 2010. At this time, because of the sample size, the findings apply only to heterosexual marriages. An additional limitation of the results was that the survey did not include adults ages 44 and older, thus not providing insight into long-term marriages that began at a later age.
While the research findings do not provide reasons why these marriages have a better long-term success rate, it has been established through prior research studies that college-educated adults tend to get married later in life and have greater financial security than adults who have not attained a college degree.
While women with a college education have the greatest chances for a lasting marriage, almost 65 percent of men with a college degree could expect that to have their first marriage last two decades or more, compared with 50 percent of men who attained a high school diploma or less. In addition, men with a college education are more likely to get married than men with lesser amounts of education.
The study also found interesting marriage outcomes in the areas of race and ethnicity. For example, Asian women have a greater likelihood than any other ethnic or racial group to have a lasting marriage. Asian women who had their first marriage between 2006 and 2010 have a 70 percent chance that they will reach their 20 year wedding anniversary!
For males, Hispanic men take top honors with the likelihood of having a long lasting marriage. Hispanic men who were married for the first time between 2006 and 2010 have a 62 percent chance of their marriage lasting 20 years or more.
This Might Surprise You
Surprisingly, the study also found that couples who lived together prior to their marriage had a slightly lower chance of lasting 20 years together than those who did not share living space.
When analyzing the data of women who did not live with their spouse before marriage, 57 percent can expect to be married for at least 20 years. This compares to 46 percent of women who resided with their spouse prior to their wedding. For men, the pattern was slightly different. Similar to the rate of women, 60 percent of those men who did not live with their spouse prior to marriage could expect to celebrate 20 years together. However, men who lived with their spouse after becoming engaged but prior to getting married also had a high likelihood of lasting marriage success at a rate of 57 percent.
Regardless of when you and your spouse married, the data from this research study shows evidence that higher education levels can result in greater chances for long-term marital success.
To read more about the survey, and access links to additional details and data, visit the Pew Research Center’s website.
Contact Laura Monty Law in Fort Collins
If you or your spouse reside in the Fort Collins or Larimer County region, and are considering filing for divorce in Northern Colorado, do not hesitate to contact Laura Monty Law to explore a variety of divorce options. We provide collaborative divorce representation, divorce mediation services, legal advising for uncontested divorces and contested divorces, and a full array of divorce and family law services to meet your family’s needs. We strongly believe in taking a compassionate approach to family law, and recognize that every situation is unique.
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