Remarriages are down, and shacking up could go up across the U.S. A recent analysis of federal data conducted by the National Center For Family & Marriage Research showed that between 1990 and 2011, remarriage rates dropped by 40 percent. Remarriage by divorced or widowed people now occurs at a rate of about 2.9 percent, down from 5 percent.
This change could be due to couples feeling less pressure to marry, said UF sociology professor Tanya Korepeckyj-Cox. She said the data shift shows how the country has changed in terms of values and stigmas.
“There are more options for people, so it’s become easier and more straightforward for people to live on their own,” she said. “So, there isn’t a pressure to get remarried. And depending on their prior experience, they may be hesitant to get into another marriage.”
Younger age groups had the most dramatic change, with the rate dropping about 54 percent in the last two decades.
For divorced or widowed people who have found a new partner, Korepeckyj-Cox said many may be choosing to take the commitment just as far as living together. In the past, this wasn’t the case with a more religious culture deeming cohabitation as “living in sin.”
“Not only is it not a stigma, but it’s become pretty widely accepted that people can live with a partner without getting married,” she said.
Korepeckyj-Cox said living together is usually a step toward marriage, though for a small group, it will be the only step toward lifelong commitment.
For Kyle Smierciak, a 28-year-old Santa Fe accounting sophomore who lives with his fiancee, the choice to move in together was a no-brainer.
“You need to figure out what works best for both of you so you both feel comfortable,” he said. “When you’re married, there’s no getting out unless you go through divorce.”
Involving children can complicate the marriage situation, said Korepeckyj-Cox.
Danielle Boykin, a married 20-year-old Santa Fe psychology sophomore, agreed.
She and Smierciak said their marriage values were influenced by their parents’ relationships.
“I didn’t want to get married multiple times,” Boykin said, “So I feel like I considered it very heavily.”
A version of this story ran on page 8 on 9/17/2013 under the headline "Remarriage rates down nationally"
UF journalism alumnus Cody Jones, 25, holds hands with his wife, Lacey, a 23-year-old UF public relations alumna. A recent study suggests remarriage rates are declining as couples choose to live together.
