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These trends also mirror the rising age at marriage, which has climbed by 5 years for men and women since 1970. Whereas previous generations may have lived at home until they married in their early 20s, not only are adults getting married at an older age but they now are often living on their own before tying the knot.
Childbearing is an important part of the equation too. Just as adults are waiting longer to marry, they are also delaying having children. The average age when women give birth to their first child has risen from 21 to 25 [PDF <1.0 MB] since 1970. This helps explain why the share of households made up of married parents has fallen so dramatically while that of married couples without children has not.
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America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2012Top