Census Shows Slowdown in Couples Tying the Knot

The segment of the married U.S. population is about 51 percent, a decline of about six percent since the last census in 2000.

In Illinois, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates about 52 percent of men and 47 percent of women are married, for an overall marriage rate of 49 percent.

Read: the full Illinois Fact Sheet American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau

A societal snapshot

As the Washington Post points out, the data reflects current conditions; meaning people who are unmarried today may not remain single over time.

"(The data) are a byproduct of a steady increase in the median age when people first marry, now at an all-time high of older than 26 for women and almost 29 for men," says the Washington Post.

According to an expert cited in The Huffington Post, the reason is twofold: "The fast-growing older population is more likely to be divorced or widowed later in life, and 20-somethings are putting off their nuptials for longer stretches."

Watch: PBS NewsHour report about marriage rates

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