Is Marriage Making a Comeback?

Are we witnessing a reversal in the decades-long decline in a vital cultural institution?

New data suggests something remarkable is happening with American families. While many people have a pessimistic view about marriage’s importance in family life, a trend is emerging that might change that view. Marriage isn't just surviving—it's making a late-innings comeback with huge implications for the children and families you serve.

A new Institute for Family Studies report reveals some surprising trends:

• Divorce rates have hit a 50-year low.

• Only about 40% of couples marrying today are expected to divorce, down from 50% for previous generations.

• The share of children living with married parents rose from 64% in 2012 to 66% today.

• Unmarried childbearing peaked in 2009 and has stayed level since then.

• Even among lower-income families, more children are living with married parents now than a decade ago.

• Black children living with married parents increased from 33% to 39% over the past decade.

Why This Matters

You probably see the effects of family structure in your work every day. The research backs up what you likely already know: children do better when their parents are married. They experience better educational, social, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes than do other children, on average. They're more likely to graduate high school, go to college, and avoid problems like teen pregnancy and substance abuse.

Research shows that married adults are more likely to talk with neighbors regularly and do favors for them, suggesting stronger community bonds. Married parents are also much more likely than divorced, separated, or never-married parents to take on time-intensive volunteer roles at schools, such as serving on committees. And married adults are more likely to belong to voluntary associations and civic organizations than their unmarried counterparts.

Marriage Benefits Dads Too

Here's something that might surprise you: marriage is especially good for men. Married men have a lower risk of depression and a higher likelihood of satisfaction with life in retirement than their unmarried peers. Following marriage, people report fewer symptoms of depression and are less likely to think about suicide.

Marriage helps men become more engaged fathers. When dads are married to their children's mothers, they're more involved in daily caregiving, discipline, and emotional support. This isn't just good for children—it's fulfilling for dads too.

At National Fatherhood Initiative^® (NFI), we've supported marriage for decades because the research is clear: children who grow up with their married parents have better outcomes. These children are less likely to live in poverty, drop out of school, have behavioral problems, or experience abuse. They're more likely to have strong relationships as adults and become good parents themselves. NFI’s programs and other resources present the benefits of marriage, while acknowledging it’s not for everyone.

Moving Forward Thoughtfully

So how can your organization ride this wave of marriage renewal while still serving all families well? Here are some practical ideas:

• Celebrate what works. When you see stable marriages in the families you serve, acknowledge them. Let these couples know their commitment matters and benefits their children.

• Offer marriage support early. Many couples struggle in the first few years of marriage. Programs and other resources that teach communication skills, conflict resolution, and financial responsibility can prevent problems before they start.

• Support relationship education. Help young adults in your community learn what healthy relationships look like before they get married. This includes understanding red flags, building trust, and managing expectations.

• Connect families to community. Marriage works better when couples have support from friends, family, and faith communities. Help isolated families build those connections.

• Be sensitive and compassionate, while staying focused. You can champion marriage while still serving single parents, grandparent families, and other family types with respect and care. The goal isn't to make anyone feel bad—it's to help all families be as strong as possible.

• Address the barriers. Many young adults want to marry but face obstacles: student debt, housing costs, unemployment, and lack of relationship skills. Support policies and programs that tackle those challenges.

A Reason for Hope

The marriage comeback isn't happening by accident. Young adults are choosing to wait longer to marry, which means they're more mature and financially stable when they do. They're also more likely to complete their education and establish careers first.

This selectivity helps explain why divorce rates are dropping. Marriage is becoming something people do more intentionally, with better preparation and stronger foundations.

Of course, challenges remain, such as the many challenges for men and boys, and the digital revolution's impact on social skills and relationships among young adults that threaten relationship formation and stability. But marriage’s resurgence offers hope.

As a human service professional, you have a unique opportunity to support this marriage renaissance. By helping couples build stronger relationships and supporting healthy family formation, you're not just serving individual families—you're strengthening entire communities.

The data is clear: marriage is making a comeback. The question isn't so much whether this trend will continue—although that’s important—but how we can support it in ways that help all families thrive.

How do you support marriage in your role?

How does your organization support this vital institution?