The Significant Racial Gap in Marriage Rates in the United States

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that 49.9 percent of the U.S. population over the age of 15 was married in 2021. But when we break the data down by race, there are significant differences.

Nearly 54 percent of the White population was married compared to 31.2 percent of the Black population. Only 27.5 percent of the White population had never been married compared to half of the Black population.

Some 34.4 percent of Black men were married in 2021, compared to 28.6 percent of Black women. For Whites, 55.5 percent of men and 52.4 percent of women were married. More than 48 percent of all Black women and 51.1 percent of Black men had never been married.

Whites had slightly higher rates of divorce than Blacks, but Blacks were more likely to be married but separated from their spouse. Whites were more likely than Blacks to be a widow or widower.

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