Marriage:

America’s No. 1 Weapon

Against Childhood Poverty
How the Collapse of Marriage Hurts the Nation
and 7 Steps to Reverse the Damage
A Heritage Foundation Book of Charts

Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society • Fall 2010
Growth of Unwed Childbearing in the U.S., 1929–2008
Throughout most of U.S. PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
history, unwed childbearing was
rare. 50%

When the federal government's

War on Poverty began in 1964, 40.6%
only 6.3 percent of children in the 40%
U.S. were born out of wedlock.
However, over the next four
decades, the number rose rapidly.
By 2008, four out of 10 births 30%
occurred outside of marriage.

20%

Note: Initiated by President Lyndon

Johnson in 1964, the War on Poverty
led to the creation of more than three
dozen welfare programs to aid poor 10%
persons.The government has spent
$16.7 trillion on means-tested aid to
the poor since 1963.

Source: U.S. Government, U.S. Census 0%

Bureau, and National Center for Health 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2008
Statistics.

Chart 1 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Death of Marriage in the U.S., 1929–2008
The marital birth rate—the PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
percentage of all births that occur
to married parents—is the flip side 100%
of the out-of-wedlock birth rate.
Through most of the 20th cen-
tury, marital births were the norm
in the U.S. In 1963, more than 93
percent of births occurred to
married couples. 80%

However, in the mid-1960s, the

marital birth rate began to fall
steadily. By 2008, only 59 percent
of births in the U.S. occurred to
married couples.
60%
59.4%
Note: In any given year, the sum of the
out-of-wedlock birth rate (Chart 1)
and the marital birth rate (Chart 2)
equals 100 percent of all births.

Source: U.S. Government, U.S. Census 40%

Bureau, and National Center for Health 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2008
Statistics.

Chart 2 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty by 82 Percent
The steady rise in out-of- PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE POOR
wedlock child bearing is a major
cause of high levels of child pov-
50%
erty in the U.S.
In 2008, more than a third (36.5
percent) of single mothers with
children were poor, compared to 40%
36.5%
only 6.4 percent of married
couples with children.
Single-parent families with 30%
children are almost six times more
likely to be poor than are married
couples. 20%
The higher poverty rate among
single-mother families is due both
to the lower education levels of
10%
the mothers and the lower income 6.4%
because of the absence of the
fathers.
0%
Single Parent, Married,Two-Parent
Female-Headed Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Families
Community Survey, 2006–2008 data.

Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

One-Third of All Families with Children Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head 100%
roughly two-thirds of families with
children in the U.S. The other 90%
third are single-parent families. 33% Unmarried
80%
Families

70%

60%

50%

40%
67% Married Families

30%

20%

10%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American 0%

Community Survey, 2006–2008 data.

Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

71 Percent of Poor Families with Children Are Not Married
Nearly three-quarters of families 100%
with children in the U.S. that are
not poor are married couples. 90%
26%
By contrast, 71 percent of all
poor families with children are 80%
headed by single parents.
70%
71.2% Unmarried
60% Families

50%

40% 74%

30%

20%
26.8% Married
10% Families

0%
Non-Poor Poor Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Families
Community Survey, 2006–2008 data.

Chart 5 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Few Unwed Births Occur to Teenagers
Out-of-wedlock births are often PERCENTAGE OF OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
confused erroneously with teen BY AGE OF MOTHER
births, but only 8 percent of out-
of-wedlock births in the U.S. occur Under
to girls under age 18. Age 18:
By contrast, some three out of 7.7%
four unwed births occur to young
Age
adult women between the ages of 30–54:
18 and 29. 17.7% Age
18–19:
14.5%

Age
25–29:
23.0%
Age
20–24:
37.1%
Note: Figures have been rounded.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2006 NHS
data.

Chart 6 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Less-Educated Women Are More Likely to Give Birth Outside Marriage
Unwed childbearing occurs PERCENTAGE OF BIRTHS THAT ARE MARITAL
most frequently among the OR OUT OF WEDLOCK
women who will have the greatest 100% Unmarried
difficulty supporting children by 8.3% Mothers
themselves: those with low levels 90%
of education.
80% 34.0%
Among women who are high
school dropouts, more than two- 51.4%
70%
thirds of all births occur outside 67.4%
marriage. Among women who 60%
have only a high school diploma,
slightly more than half of all births 50% 91.7% Married
occur outside marriage. By con- Mothers
40%
trast, among women with at least a 66.0%
college degree, only 8 percent of 30%
births are out-of-wedlock. 48.6%
20%
32.6%
10%

0%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and High School High School Some College Mother’s
Human Services, Centers for Disease Dropout Graduate College Graduate education
Control and Prevention, 2006 NHS (0–11 (12 (13–15 (16+ level
data. Years) Years) Years) Years)

Chart 7 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective in Reducing Child
Poverty in the United States
The poverty rate for married PERCENTAGE OF Poverty Rate of Families by
couples is dramatically lower than FAMILIES THAT Single
Education and Marital Status
the rate for households headed by ARE POOR Married
of the Head of Household
single parents. This is true even 50% 47%
when the married couple is com-
pared to single parents with the
same education level. 40%
For example, in the U.S., the
poverty rate for a single mother 31.7%
who has only a high school 30%
diploma is 31.7 percent, but the 24.2%
poverty rate for a married couple
20%
family headed by an individual 15.2%
who, similarly, has only a high
school degree is far lower at 5.6 10% 8.9%
percent. 5.6%
3.2% 1.5%
On average, marriage drops the
poverty rate by around 80 percent 0%
among families with the same High School High School Some College
education level. Dropout Graduate College Graduate

Note: Virtually none of the heads of families in the chart who are high school drop-
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American outs are minor teenagers.
Community Survey 2006-2008 data.

Chart 8 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race
Out-of-wedlock childbearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies considerably by race.
80%
In 2006 (the most recent year
8.3% 71.6%
for which racial breakdown is
available), nearly four in 10 births 70%
(39.7 percent) in the U.S. occurred
outside marriage. The unwed birth 60%
rate was lowest among non- 51.3%
Hispanic whites, at just over one
50%
in four births (27.8 percent).
Among Hispanics, more than half 39.7%
of births were out-of-wedlock. 40%
Among blacks, seven out of 10
births were to unmarried women 30% 27.8%
(71.6 percent).
20%

10%

0%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and All Races White Hispanic Black
Human Services, Centers for Disease Non- Non-
Control and Prevention, 2006 NHS Hispanic Hispanic
data.

Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Growth of Unwed Childbearing by Race, 1929–2008
Historically, out-of-wedlock PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
childbearing has been somewhat
more frequent among blacks than 80%
among whites. However, before Black Non-
the onset of the federal govern- Hispanic
70%
ment's War on Poverty in 1964, 72.3%
the rates for both whites and
blacks were comparatively low. 60%
Hispanic
In 1963, not even one in 10 (3.1 52.5%
percent) white children was born 50%
outside marriage. By 2008, the
number had risen to more than 40%
one in four (28.6 percent).
In 1963, about one in four black 30% White Non-
children (24.2 percent) was born Hispanic
outside marriage. By 2008, the 28.6%
20%
number had risen to nearly three
in every four (72.3 percent).
10%

0%
Source: U.S. Government, U.S. Census
Bureau, and National Center for Health 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2008
Statistics.

Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in the U.S.
In the U.S. in 2006, some 53.5
percent of all births occurred to ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
non-Hispanic whites; 24.4 percent
occurred to Hispanics, and 14.7
percent occurred to non-Hispanic
blacks.
36.8%
Because blacks and Hispanics White Non-
are more likely to have children 53.5% Hispanic
without being married, they
account for a disproportionately
large share of all out-of-wedlock
births. Even so, the largest number
of unwed births are to white non- 30.9%
Hispanic women. Hispanic
In the U.S. in 2006, 37 percent 24.4%
of all non-marital births were to
non-Hispanic whites; 31 percent
were to Hispanics, and 26 percent 25.6%
Black Non-
were to black non-Hispanic 14.7% Hispanic
women.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and 7.2% Asian/Other 8.5%
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2006 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.

Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Non-Married White Families Are Seven Times More Likely to Be Poor

Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR

rates for whites, blacks, and His-
panics.
25%
For example, in 2006, the pov- 21.7%
erty rate for married white families
was 3.1 percent. But the poverty
rate for non-married white fami- 20%
lies was seven times higher at 21.7
percent.
15%

10%

5%
3.1%

0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2006–2008 data.

Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Non-Married Black Families Are Five Times More Likely to Be Poor

In 2006, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
black married black couples was
6.9 percent, while the poverty rate
40%
for non-married black families was
more than five times higher at 35.3%
35.3 percent. 35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%
6.9%

5%

0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2006–2008 data.

Chart 13 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Nearly Three Times More Likely to
Be Poor
In 2006, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families was
12.8 percent, while the poverty
40% 37.5%
rate among non-married families
was nearly three times higher at
37.5 percent. 35%

30%

25%

20%

15% 12.8%

10%

5%

0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Married Families Non-Married Families
Community Survey, 2006–2008 data.

Chart 14 • Marriage and Poverty in the U.S. heritage.org

 7 Steps to Reduce Child Poverty through Marriage

Given the importance of marriage in reducing child poverty, the following steps should
be undertaken to strengthen marriage in low income communities.

1) Reduce anti-marriage penalties in welfare programs.

2) Create public education campaigns in low-income communities on the benefits of

marriage.

3) Require welfare offices to provide factual information on the value of marriage in

reducing poverty and welfare dependence.

4) Explain the benefits of marriage in middle and high schools with a high proportion of
at-risk youth.

5) Require federally funded birth control clinics to provide information on the benefits of
marriage and the skills needed to develop stable families to interested low-income clients.

6) Require federally funded birth control clinics to offer voluntary referrals to life
planning and marriage skills education to all interested low-income clients.

7) Make voluntary marriage education widely available to interested couples in low-

income communities.
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