lownuptiality

Lownuptiality, also written as low nuptiality, is a demographic term for the pattern of a relatively small share of a population entering legally recognized marriage or formal unions within a given period. It is commonly measured by the marriage rate (marriages per 1,000 people per year) or by the proportion of adults who have ever married by a given age.

Causes include economic insecurity and high housing costs that delay marriage; higher educational attainment and career commitments; growing acceptance of long-term cohabitation without marriage; secularization and changing religious norms; and policy contexts that affect marital incentives, such as taxes, welfare rules, and recognition of civil unions.

Regional and temporal variation is pronounced. Many high-income countries show long-term declines in nuptiality since the late 20th century, with later age at first marriage and more cohabitation. In other regions, cultural, religious, or social norms maintain higher rates, though migration and gender-role changes influence patterns.

Implications of low nuptiality include effects on fertility, family structure, and child outcomes, with broader economic implications from aging populations and housing markets. Policy responses are debated and may aim to support family formation and child well-being through childcare, housing, parental leave, and neutral treatment of different family forms.

Measurement and terminology notes. Scholars distinguish nuptiality from broader union formation and warn that data comparability depends on definitions of marriage, civil partnerships, cohabitation, and inclusion of same-sex unions.