October 2, 2014

Mapping the Marriage Market for Young Adults

The share of American adults who have never been married is at a record high (20%), and young adults are at the leading edge of this national trend. For those in the “marriage market,” location matters. Pew Research Center has compiled census data on the number of unmarried men and women ages 25 to 34 in many of the nation’s metropolitan areas. We’ve also sorted the data by employment status. Finding a spouse with a steady job is a high priority for 78% of never-married women who may want to get married in the future(and 46% of men), though the pool of employed young men has shrunk.

Fact Tank: The best and worst cities for women looking to marry

Among unmarried adults ages 25 to 34

Number of men for every 100 women

Source: Pew Research Center analysis of the 2012 American Community Survey, IPUMS.
Some metro areas not shown.

Metro area	Number of men for every 100 women	Number of women for every 100 men	Number of employed men for every 100 women	Number of employed women for every 100 men
Akron, OH	100	100	71	68
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	120	83	91	65
Albuquerque, NM	117	86	87	62
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	117	85	91	65
Amarillo, TX	144	69	107	40
Anchorage, AK	117	85	86	71
Ann Arbor, MI	142	71	107	54
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL	82	121	62	88
Asheville, NC	112	90	81	65
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	106	95	78	67
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	107	94	80	56
Auburn-Opelika, AL	96	104	68	55
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	89	112	54	82
Austin-Round Rock, TX	114	88	89	70
Bakersfield, CA	136	74	81	49
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	103	97	79	74
Bangor, ME	103	97	66	47
Barnstable Town, MA	117	86	87	77
Baton Rouge, LA	100	100	79	75
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	135	74	75	52
Bellingham, WA	135	74	103	59
Bend-Redmond, OR	108	92	62	72
Binghamton, NY	109	91	74	62
Birmingham-Hoover, AL	100	100	73	70
Bismarck, ND	110	91	96	78
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA	149	67	107	50
Bloomington, IL	113	89	88	73
Bloomington, IN	117	86	83	63
Boise City, ID	141	71	107	52
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	109	91	86	74
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA	145	69	96	37
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT	110	91	90	70
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	90	111	55	67
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY	116	86	90	63
Burlington, NC	116	86	98	66
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	123	81	101	67
Canton-Massillon, OH	112	89	85	59
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	110	91	85	61
Champaign-Urbana, IL	104	96	75	84
Charleston, WV	114	87	82	61
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	109	92	86	73
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	100	100	73	72
Chattanooga, TN-GA	120	83	74	58
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	108	92	82	70
Chico, CA	136	73	92	48
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	108	93	78	69
Clarksville, TN-KY	188	53	145	32
Cleveland-Elyria, OH	107	93	78	67
Coeur d'Alene, ID	143	70	107	52
College Station-Bryan, TX	116	86	80	72
Colorado Springs, CO	131	77	109	62
Columbia, MO	127	79	109	53
Columbia, SC	107	93	81	73
Columbus, OH	106	94	83	74
Corpus Christi, TX	127	79	91	53
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	109	92	85	70
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	117	86	76	54
Dayton, OH	109	91	83	60
Decatur, AL	106	94	62	59
Decatur, IL	100	100	89	78
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	107	93	71	55
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	121	83	101	66
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	110	91	90	74
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	103	97	71	67
Dover, DE	101	99	59	71
East Stroudsburg, PA	135	74	101	61
Eau Claire, WI	103	97	81	75
El Centro, CA	133	75	68	39
Elkhart-Goshen, IN	108	92	79	55
El Paso, TX	113	88	83	58
Erie, PA	138	73	101	50
Eugene, OR	123	81	82	54
Fayetteville, NC	105	96	74	67
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	151	66	124	52
Flagstaff, AZ	105	96	75	67
Florence, SC	97	103	71	66
Fort Collins, CO	130	77	107	62
Fort Wayne, IN	121	83	93	60
Fresno, CA	124	81	80	52
Gadsden, AL	148	68	95	36
Gainesville, FL	120	83	78	63
Gainesville, GA	111	90	92	66
Glens Falls, NY	122	82	84	62
Goldsboro, NC	104	96	49	41
Grand Junction, CO	144	69	93	43
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI	106	94	88	72
Greensboro-High Point, NC	97	103	71	70
Greenville, NC	89	113	70	89
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC	110	91	78	68
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS	127	79	88	57
Hanford-Corcoran, CA	236	42	124	24
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	126	80	93	60
Harrisonburg, VA	119	84	95	74
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	119	84	85	67
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	142	70	87	50
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC	103	97	73	78
Homosassa Springs, FL	102	98	74	63
Houma-Thibodaux, LA	110	91	82	48
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	111	90	86	65
Huntsville, AL	130	77	96	66
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	112	89	83	71
Iowa City, IA	129	78	93	66
Ithaca, NY	140	71	97	43
Jackson, MI	153	65	78	38
Jackson, MS	85	117	53	81
Jackson, TN	103	97	67	49
Jacksonville, FL	103	97	70	72
Janesville-Beloit, WI	123	81	98	71
Jefferson City, MO	127	78	69	68
Johnstown, PA	128	78	84	57
Joplin, MO	139	72	91	48
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	108	93	80	72
Kankakee, IL	94	106	63	70
Kansas City, MO-KS	101	99	75	76
Knoxville, TN	126	80	90	51
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN	170	59	114	58
Lafayette, LA	99	101	74	76
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN	124	81	98	72
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ	147	68	46	48
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	117	85	75	54
Lancaster, PA	98	102	79	78
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	117	85	81	73
Laredo, TX	93	108	62	60
Las Cruces, NM	145	69	100	49
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	118	85	87	61
Lawrence, KS	118	85	99	50
Lebanon, PA	118	85	82	35
Lewiston-Auburn, ME	81	124	37	99
Lima, OH	101	99	53	73
Lincoln, NE	128	78	100	67
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	96	104	72	75
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	119	84	91	60
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	115	87	82	65
Lubbock, TX	126	79	93	58
Lynchburg, VA	106	94	75	59
Madera, CA	83	121	63	40
Manchester-Nashua, NH	138	72	115	61
Mansfield, OH	215	46	112	38
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	111	90	73	59
Medford, OR	96	105	63	82
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	93	108	59	76
Merced, CA	125	80	78	42
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	109	92	78	66
Michigan City-La Porte, IN	184	54	66	32
Midland, TX	133	75	122	50
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	104	96	82	71
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	116	86	98	70
Mobile, AL	93	108	55	57
Modesto, CA	120	83	78	51
Monroe, LA	110	91	53	73
Monroe, MI	123	81	85	66
Montgomery, AL	95	106	62	72
Morgantown, WV	146	69	107	50
Muncie, IN	125	80	83	55
Muskegon, MI	111	90	66	57
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	96	104	74	68
Napa, CA	118	85	88	67
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL	125	80	106	43
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	100	100	77	75
New Haven-Milford, CT	98	102	67	72
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	102	98	78	73
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	109	92	82	69
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI	171	59	88	34
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	119	84	81	56
Norwich-New London, CT	108	93	79	76
Ocala, FL	125	80	83	55
Ocean City, NJ	108	93	88	63
Odessa, TX	111	90	94	73
Ogden-Clearfield, UT	131	76	107	55
Oklahoma City, OK	122	82	88	65
Olympia-Tumwater, WA	129	78	94	52
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	120	84	94	72
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	128	78	90	60
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI	133	75	94	61
Owensboro, KY	108	93	74	58
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	128	78	100	58
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	127	79	86	50
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV	81	124	72	86
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	121	83	80	57
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	108	93	74	66
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	118	84	81	61
Pittsburgh, PA	124	81	90	62
Pittsfield, MA	119	84	80	65
Portland-South Portland, ME	108	92	88	68
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	111	90	83	67
Port St. Lucie, FL	114	87	71	53
Prescott, AZ	126	79	92	49
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	117	85	83	62
Provo-Orem, UT	129	77	99	57
Pueblo, CO	132	76	88	42
Punta Gorda, FL	144	69	74	52
Racine, WI	83	120	54	95
Raleigh, NC	99	101	78	81
Reading, PA	125	80	84	58
Redding, CA	146	69	95	52
Reno, NV	124	81	93	57
Richmond, VA	114	88	77	69
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	116	86	79	54
Roanoke, VA	96	104	78	67
Rochester, NY	118	85	88	67
Rockford, IL	93	108	63	78
Rocky Mount, NC	72	140	34	85
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	116	86	81	59
Saginaw, MI	99	101	61	64
St. George, UT	133	75	96	57
St. Joseph, MO-KS	147	68	77	49
St. Louis, MO-IL	108	93	78	72
Salinas, CA	152	66	115	50
Salisbury, MD-DE	142	70	94	63
Salt Lake City, UT	117	86	94	67
San Angelo, TX	115	87	95	76
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	114	87	83	65
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	129	77	99	57
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	116	86	93	67
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	141	71	114	55
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA	154	65	125	54
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	143	70	122	59
Santa Fe, NM	110	91	75	74
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	136	74	104	55
Santa Rosa, CA	115	87	90	65
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA	107	93	82	71
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	121	83	96	64
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL	104	96	68	76
Sheboygan, WI	145	69	110	50
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	105	95	67	71
Spartanburg, SC	99	101	65	69
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	130	77	84	46
Springfield, IL	109	92	70	68
Springfield, MA	90	111	59	81
Springfield, MO	134	75	94	53
Springfield, OH	99	101	73	72
State College, PA	155	65	105	59
Stockton-Lodi, CA	110	91	63	49
Syracuse, NY	115	87	79	63
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	109	92	79	66
Toledo, OH	125	80	93	62
Topeka, KS	118	85	71	58
Trenton, NJ	124	81	84	59
Tucson, AZ	121	82	86	59
Tuscaloosa, AL	107	93	71	67
Tyler, TX	118	85	84	61
Urban Honolulu, HI	141	71	119	56
Utica-Rome, NY	120	83	82	61
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA	129	77	88	61
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	108	92	85	70
Visalia-Porterville, CA	98	102	66	75
Waco, TX	98	102	69	71
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	107	94	92	78
Wausau, WI	107	94	59	87
Wenatchee, WA	90	111	64	77
Wichita, KS	124	81	92	65
Wichita Falls, TX	171	59	92	49
Wilmington, NC	129	78	97	63
Winston-Salem, NC	109	91	71	60
Worcester, MA-CT	128	78	90	56
Yakima, WA	107	94	71	61
York-Hanover, PA	125	80	83	43
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	108	92	75	67
Yuba City, CA	110	91	85	63
Yuma, AZ	164	61	98	35

Can't find your metro area?

Unfortunately, we were not able to calculate ‘marriage market’ statistics for roughly a third of U.S. metro areas (in government speak, metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs). The main culprit: mismatch between two geographic codes. While we were able to obtain gender ratio data from the 2012 American Community Survey (ACS), the ACS public use data file does not release that information by traditional metro area, or MSA. Because the two sets of geographical boundaries don’t match up perfectly, there are some areas, particularly less populated ones, where the statistics are not available. For more information on the geographic variable used for this analysis, see IPUMS-USA.

Mapping the Marriage Market for Young Adults

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