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New Analysis Offers First-Ever State-by-State Look at Links Between Marriage, Fertility and Other Socioeconomic Characteristics |
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A new analysis looking at links between marriage, fertility and other socioeconomic characteristics was released today by the U.S. Census Bureau, providing the first-ever state-by-state analysis of median age at first marriage. The analysis of the multi-year marriage and fertility data from the American Community Survey (ACS) also shows how socioeconomic characteristics such as mother’s income, age, work status and language spoken at home are correlated with birth rates. The report, Indicators
of Marriage and Fertility in the United States From the American
Community Survey, 2000 to 2003, found that states
with a high estimated median age at first marriage tended
to have higher proportions of unmarried-couple households
and lower proportions of married-couple households. The analysis of family structure variables showed marked geographic patterns. States in the Northeast had some of the highest levels of unmarried-couple households, particularly Maine (7.3 percent of all households), New Hampshire (7.2 percent) and Vermont (7.1 percent). States in the South, including Alabama (3.0 percent), Arkansas (3.6 percent) and Mississippi (3.8 percent), were among those with the lowest percentages of unmarried-partner households. Southern states (and the District of Columbia) also tended to have a higher percentage of unwed mothers with infants compared with the national average. These included the District of Columbia (53.4 percent), Mississippi (45.7 percent) and Louisiana (40.2 percent of all mothers). Among the states with the lowest percentages of unwed mothers with infants were Utah (14.7 percent), Minnesota (20.6 percent) and Idaho (21.6 percent). Teen births were also more prevalent in the South, with Arkansas (where 13.3 percent of births were to teens), Mississippi (12.8 percent) and Louisiana (12.1 percent) among those above the national average (7.7 percent). The analysis, from a sample of over
3 million covering four years of American Community Survey
data (2000 – 2003), showed a link between the proportion
of mothers with infants living below the poverty level and
low levels of labor force participation, as well as a high
proportion of teen births among unmarried mothers. Other highlights:
The American Community Survey is a powerful new tool designed to produce current local data for communities on a wide range of issues. The ACS is being mailed to about 250,000 (roughly 1-in-480) addresses a month, nationwide, and will provide current demographic, housing, social and economic information about America’s communities every year — information previously available only once every 10 years. -X- The American Community Survey data are
based on responses from a sample of households across the
nation. The estimates and rankings may vary from the actual
values because of sampling or nonsampling variations. The
statistical statements have undergone testing, and comparisons
are significant at the 90-percent confidence level. Additional
information and data profiles for the nation, states, counties
and places may be accessed at <http://www.census.gov/acs>
or <http://factfinder.census.gov>. |
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