For those of you convinced that the future of you and your significant other is written in the stars, you may be dismayed to find that the numbers tell a different story.
The state of Connecticut was found to have the lowest marriage rate in the nation in 2004, according to the National Marriage project at Rutgers University. There were just 24.2 walks down the aisle per 1,000 single Connecticut women over the age of 15, while states such as Arkansas numbered 75.5.
The runner-up to Connecticut for lowest marriage rates is California (26.4). Then follows Pennsylvania (27.4), New Jersey (30.4), Massachusetts (30.4) and New York (30.6), all states from which the majority of Fairfield University students hail from.
Why is there such a marriage phobia? Brendan’s I. Koerner’s article, “I Don’t,” originally published in Slate, attributed the low marriage rate to three major factors: city-dwelling, high education and affluence.
Eighty-eight percent of the Connecticut population was classified as urban in the 2000 census, according to the article. Plus, the proximity to New York produces many commuters (as is the case for many of the other low-marriage-rate states). Koerner says that city dwellers tend to be skeptical of marriage and more likely to live with a partner without sporting their ring. Additionally, the state ranks fourth in the nation for percentage of residents with bachelors degrees and fourth for percentage with advanced degrees. Intellectuals want to finish and use their education and tend to be more open to untraditional values.
“Education level is a good indicator of a person’s willingness to get hitched,” said Koerner. “The more letters after one’s name, the less likely one is to rush to the alter.”
As always, money comes into play. Connecticut boasts the United States’ second-highest median household income (the No. 1 is of fellow marriage-phobic state, New Jersey) and thus a high cost of living. Connecticut singles have the money to maintain their independence, yet cringe at the thought of buying a first-home for a family. The article points out that, of the top 10 most expensive states to buy a home, five of these also have a place on the list of lowest marriage rates.
However, Connecticut’s (and other northeast states’) population’s tendency toward cold feet is not a completely negative trend. States that have lower marriage rates also boast better economic standing.
Also, these lower marriage rates have translated into lower divorce rates. Connecticut numbered 3.1 divorces per 1,000 marriages, while that of Arkansas was nearly double. So hey, at least when Connecticut singles do decide to take that walk down the aisle, it is more likely that it is for the last time.
So where does that leave Fairfield University students? They attend school in Connecticut and generally hail from this or another slow-to-marry state, are near and may plan to work in the city, have (or are hoping to make) money, and are in the process of attaining bachelor degrees. All of these attributes make up a typical marriage skeptic.
Students do not sound too worried.
“I feel that in college, students don’t really spend time searching for a spouse,” said Matthew Stopa ’08. “We’re not really sure what we want, and [we] enjoy the social aspect of college trying to figure it out.”
“We actually just talked about this in my American Society class,” said Lauren Tuthill ’08. “Almost everyone in the class planned on getting married about 3 years after college graduation, while no one planned on never getting married. So I guess marriage is in the back of students’ minds, [it is] just not an issue right now”
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