The State of Our Unions: Marriage in America

By Sheilah Kast,

Maureen Harvie

Published July 5, 2016 at 4:29 PM EDT

Marriage rates are at historic lows. According to the Pew Research Center’s analysis of 2010 Census data, while in 1960 nearly three out of four of all adults were married, today just half are. Why are Americans delaying or even shunning the institution? What could this decline mean for their economic futures? Does marriage still matter? University of Maryland sociologist Philip Cohen explains what factors, from gender equality to educational attainment, have played a role in the decline of marriage rates.

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Sheilah Kast

Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.

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Maureen Harvie

Maureen Harvie is Senior Supervising Producer for On the Record. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and joined WYPR in 2014 as an intern for the newsroom. Whether coordinating live election night coverage, capturing the sounds of a roller derby scrimmage, interviewing veterans, or booking local authors, she is always on the lookout for the next story.

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