As younger generations wait longer to get married, those who do are more likely to stay together.
A recent study by Bowling Green University found that divorce rates across the country have fallen by 18 percent from 2008 to 2016. The report attributes the sudden shift to Millennials, who are getting divorced at much lower rates than baby boomers were at their age.
The trend among Millennials is to wait to get married until they’re sure it’s the best option for them.
Richard Petts, a sociology professor at Ball State University, says marriage is now seen more as an achievement rather than a requirement.
Petts says people look to marry after they have a career and are financially stable. This is the opposite of the trend of the past, when couples often got married young.
Because of this, the typical married couple is more “advantaged” and “established,” which are traits of people who, historically, often don’t get divorced anyway, Petts says.
Petts also says people often wait to explore marriage until they find the “perfect person.” Because of this, the couples who do marry have a better relationship with one another and are less likely to divorce.
