Gen Z Marriage Rates Look Different Than Every Other Generation

 Posted on August 12, 2022 in Family Law

Nearly everyone knows that marriage rates are not what they used to be. Perhaps unsurprisingly, divorce rates are changing, too - but not in the way you might expect. While 83 percent of people born between 1928 and 1945 (dubbed "the Silent Generation") were married by age 37, researchers predict that Gen Z - born between 1997 and 2012 - are marrying far less. While this cohort is still quite young, the expectation is that only 60 percent of white Gen Zers will be married by 40 years old, while black Gen Zers might reach levels as low as 23 percent. Why is this happening, and what does it mean for America? 

Is There a Relationship Between Low Marriage and Divorce Rates? 

Just as the Baby Boomers were married at much greater rates than younger generations, they have made headlines by pursuing divorce in staggering numbers. In recent years, more than 30 percent of divorces were made up of Baby Boomers going their separate ways.

Gen Z is not old enough to demonstrate what kind of divorce rates they are likely to have. But if we look at the preceding generation - the much-talked-about Millennials - their divorce rates are lower than their parents’. In fact, the Millenial divorce rate is the lowest in many years, hovering around 25 percent. While Millennials are less likely to get married and get married at older ages, most of them do still get married - and they tend to stay that way. Researchers speculate this is due in large part to a more careful partner selection process, as well as an innate wariness of divorce that Millenials learned from watching their own parents separate.

If Gen Z continues this trend, their marriage and divorce rates are likely to remain low. But their dating trends are fairly unique. Raised on smartphones, the older Gen Zers are saying they are burned out on swiping endlessly, to say nothing of the superficiality of app and hookup culture. Instead, Gen Zers are dating slower, having fewer sexual partners, and being more upfront about what they are looking for in a relationship.

No matter what, Illinois will surely watch its Gen Z youth with fascination as they come of age and start making important life decisions. And whatever generation our state’s citizens belong to, the team of attorneys with Cores Family Law is here to help.

Call a Wheaton, IL Family Law Attorney

At Andrew Cores Family Law Group, our team of DuPage County family law attorneys has many decades of collective experience, and we are interested in helping you pursue a family law strategy that suits your preferences and priorities. Whether this means keeping things quiet and amicable or pursuing a more aggressive strategy, we have your back. Call us today at 630-871-1002 to schedule your free consultation today.

Sources: 

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/10/17/reality-dating-series-conservatism-515581

https://ifstudies.org/blog/how-much-of-gen-z-will-be-unmarried-at-40