People in New Jersey may well have heard for several years about how many marriages tend to end in divorce. In fact, most people likely have friends, neighbors, co-workers or family members who have been divorced even if they themselves have not experienced a divorce. Some new research conducted by a professor at the University of Maryland may indicate that the rate of divorce in America has actually dropped.
As explained by The Atlantic, the decline in the nation’s divorce rate may not necessarily be the good news that some would like it to be. This drop in divorces appears at least in part to be related to a drop in marriages. When first looking at the data, a decline in divorces by as much as 18 percent appears to have happened between 2008 and 2016. Upon further look, however, that decline is actually closer to eight percent when accounting for the relative number of marriages.
The millennial generation seem to be leading the way in the divorce decline but they are also leading the way in a lower marriage rate. Fewer millennials without college degrees are getting married which means fewer are getting divorced.
Marriage is more likely for those people who have graduated college and may be on more solid financial footing when tying the knot. This may contribute to a more stable marriage since money is often a source of strife for couples. Some are concerned that this trend is making marriage something that identifies a person’s social status compared to prior generations.