Births Increasing Among Unmarried Women, Census Report Finds
May 6, 2013 —The number of births to unmarried women in the U.S. increased from 30.6% in 2005 to 35.7% in 2011, according to a report by the Census Bureau, the New York Times "Economix" reports.
Among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., the district had the highest rate of births to unmarried women at 51%, followed by Louisiana at 49%, and Mississippi and New Mexico at 48% each. The lowest rates were New Hampshire at 20% and Utah at 15%.
Rates of births outside of marriage varied by age, education level and race. In general, rates were lower among women who were older, more highly educated or had higher incomes.
Specifically, unmarried women accounted for 62% of all births to women ages 20 to 24, compared with 17% of births among women ages 35 to 39, the report found. Among women who had a birth in the past year, 68% of blacks, 43% of Hispanics, 26% of whites and 11% of Asians were unmarried (Rampell, "Economix," New York Times, 5/2).
The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
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The Editors
Debra Ness, publisher & president, National Partnership
Andrea Friedman, associate editor & director of reproductive health programs, National Partnership
Marya Torrez, associate editor & senior reproductive health policy counsel, National Partnership
Melissa Safford, associate editor & policy advocate for reproductive health, National Partnership
Perry Sacks, assistant editor & health program associate, National Partnership
Cindy Romero, assistant editor & communications assistant, National Partnership
Justyn Ware, editor
Amanda Wolfe, editor-in-chief
Heather Drost, Hanna Jaquith, Marcelle Maginnis, Ashley Marchand and Michelle Stuckey, staff writers
Tucker Ball, director of new media, National Partnership
