A new report from the Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC, has concluded that profound cultural changes regarding sex, marriage and family formation – rather than declining wages among working-class men – are the primary reason for the sharp fall in American marriage rates over the past six decades.
The study, released on May 19, notes that the proportion of Americans who had married by ages 30-35 fell from more than 90 per cent in 1962 to just 55 per cent in 2025. While economic pressures have played a role in certain periods, the report argues that shifting norms around premarital sex, cohabitation and unwed childbearing have had the most decisive impact.
