The Truth Behind Why Marriage Rates Are Declining (2025)

Seventy years ago, a staggering 80 percent of the American population tied the knot.

Fast forward to 2018 and you will notice a slight statistical difference.

Today, you can visit 27 states and find that singles are taking over the metropolises. About 50.2 percent — or 124.6 million American adults — are single.

The Ambiance Matchmaking team decided to dig deep into this phenomenon and uncover what’s happening. We found seven prominent reasons why singles are waiting to marry, or choosing not to marry at all.

There’s no more stigma

Fifty years ago, it was majorly frowned upon for couples to live together without being married. And before that, it was unheard of. Now, primarily in the Western World, it has become socially acceptable for couples to cohabitate, and to even have children, before marriage.

There’s a loss of religion

In recent years, there has been a major shift from religious conformity to people claiming to be ‘spiritual’ or ‘agnostic.' Without being tied to a religious belief, and the commitments that come along with it, people no longer see the need to be married before living together or even starting a family.

It’s damn expensive

It’s damn expensive to get married! If you plan to walk down the aisle in a rented venue, with a reception, plus a honeymoon, you’ll be lucky to spend less than $30,000. People are finding that they rather spend this money on more useful things, such as a house.

The paradox of choice

Today, people are really looking for their soul mate, and they’re not going to compromise. On top of that, with the rise of online dating and social media, singles now have so many different options from which to choose. What happens when someone is overly picky, and there is an unlimited dating pool? It becomes easier and easier to find the flaws in each person, creating a never-ending search for ‘the one.'

Online dating pitfalls

This over-saturation of choice has more than one negative outcome. More people means more chances of fake profiles or people misrepresenting themselves. This leaves many singles craving the possibility of meeting organically or having a professional matchmaker do the groundwork for them.

Recent statistics on a major online dating site stated that one-third of the profiles were fake, not even including misrepresented profiles (people posting decade-old photos, for example). This leaves people feeling disillusioned about finding the right person, and eventually pushes them to delete their dating apps all-together.

Prioritization of education and career

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, women prioritized their lives a little differently. They would attend university, at which point they would meet their husband, and rather than pursuing a career in their chosen studies, they would begin a family.

Nowadays, it’s very uncommon for women to attend university for the sole purpose of meeting their spouse and becoming a stay-at-home mom. Rather, they are continuing their education and enjoying their newfound independence, spending their free time traveling, meeting new people, and moving forward with career goals.

In fact, men and women alike are spending a large chunk of their lives — much of their 20s and 30s — investing in their education and solidifying a career. It’s becoming seen as more and more important for singles to have their "ducks in a row" before setting down.

Society is becoming overly-independent

This prioritization of self (education, career, etc) has caused a tremendous amount of independence in society, among both men and women. Without an actual need for a spouse, it's left singles with more freedom to create life the way they want it. That might involve marriage, and it might not.

In our new dating arena, both men and women are becoming free to reevaluate why they want to enter into a committed relationship or marriage. They are realizing it’s not out of need, but out of want. They want to share life’s greatest moments with a partner. They want to enjoy the fruits of their labor with someone by their side. This is the new way couples are forging the future of being in a committed relationship.

So, sit back and endure the changes while knowing that tomorrow’s couples will be based on healthy foundations. As they say, "One step back and two steps forward."