Majority of CA Residents Unwed

A new study has shown that the majority of adults in California are either single or separated.

In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the amount of married Californians slipped to 48.5 percent this decade and the share of adults who have never been married has grown.

Amount of Marriages Decline

According to the new reports, Californians are waiting longer than those in other states to say “I do,” and some are just skipping it altogether.

“It by no means indicates that marriage is dead, but I think it's a dramatic way of demonstrating that in the past 25 years, marriage has gradually ceased to be the main institution that organizes people's lives,” explains Stephanie Coontz, the author of the book “Marriage, A History: From Obedience to intimacy, or How Love Conquered Marriage.”

What's Different Now?

For California residents like Odeth Paas, seeing so many marriages end, including her parents, has prompted her to disregard marriage as being something necessary and sacred.

“Why would you get married if it leads to divorce?” asks Paas.

Another factor causing the decline of marriage could be the fact that California has one of the nation's largest mismatches in the number of men and women of marrying age.

Reports show that for every 100 women ages 15 through 44, there are 118 men.

“California is no longer as attractive to married couples and families as it once was,” says Hans Johnson, a demographer with the Public Policy Institute of California. “If you're a married couple, and you've just had a kid and you want to buy a house, it's really tough.”

(Source: Mercury News)

Are you or someone you know considering getting a divorce? If so, please contact one of our experienced attorneys today so you can explore your options.

Call toll free: 800.481.2526