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.

Rachel Sheffield, research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said the data did not support the common narrative that falling male earnings were the chief culprit. “Although economic factors may explain why marriage declined during some periods,” the report states, “cultural shifts instead have been the main drivers.”

The report highlights a striking class divide. Among college-educated Americans, roughly 90 per cent of children are still born within marriage, even as this group is most likely to publicly downplay the importance of marriage. By contrast, working-class communities have been far more affected by the cultural acceptance of unwed childbearing, which creates greater family complexity and reduces the likelihood of future marriage.

One key cultural factor identified is the dramatic rise in material expectations for marriage. Sheffield noted that previous generations often married with far fewer financial prerequisites, whereas today many young people delay or forgo marriage until they can afford a certain lifestyle, including home ownership.

The findings align with long-standing concerns expressed by Catholic social teaching on the family. Successive popes, from Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum to Pope St John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio, have emphasised the central importance of stable marriage for the wellbeing of society and the proper formation of children.

The report also points to the sharp rise in divorce rates from the 1960s onwards, which has contributed to a widespread cultural perception that marriage is fragile and optional. According to Pew Research Center data, around one in three Americans who have ever been married have experienced divorce, though rates have stabilised somewhat in recent decades among better-educated cohorts.

Sheffield called for policy measures to strengthen marriage, including greater use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds for marriage education programmes, and highlighted Utah’s Healthy Marriage Initiative as a successful model. That programme offers discounts on marriage licences for couples who complete premarital education.

The Heritage report arrives at a time when the Catholic Church continues to uphold the indissolubility of marriage and the unique role of the family as the foundation of society. With marriage rates at historic lows and unwed births remaining high, particularly in working-class communities, the findings underscore the profound cultural challenges facing family life in the contemporary West.