Fewer marriages, ages of union that recede, the GenZ is no longer inclined to put the ring on its finger… Focus on 10 figures providing an update on the state of marriage in France and around the world.
60% of children born out of wedlock
As sociologist Jean Viard explained in an interview with FranceInfo and according to INSEE figures, 60% of children are born out of wedlock in France today. “There is an increase in the Pacs, the civil solidarity pact, it’s true. But the basic movement is still that we separate privacy under the duvet, babies and institutions,” said the specialist. A figure that could be upset by the aspirations of new generations. 30% of young girls say they no longer want to have children, and the percentage rises to 37% among female graduates, who mention the climate crisis in particular.
Marriages around the age of 40
According to this INSEE report explained by Jean Viard, the age of people who marry is falling. Today in France, women marry around 37 and men 40. These ages often correspond to the age of the second child. “We have discontinuous lives, in private life, in convictions, in ways of life, and basically, in private life too, we have young lives, where we have a lot of adventures, often, not all, but still a lot. 29 years, the first massive CDI and the first baby comes two years later. We buy a house in general at 32 years, to continue in the scale of caricature. And then around 37, 40 years old, those who have remained in a couple will perhaps get married and have the second child,” says Jean Viard. “We are on a new model of life where, in essence, marriage is not the first step”.
242,000 marriages in 2023
According to the INSEE, 242,000 marriages were celebrated in France in 2023, including 7,000 same-sex marriages. While these numbers have changed only slightly in a decade, they are still to be taken with the pinch of the health crisis. This has in fact caused marriages to drop considerably before a revival is evident from 2021/2022. In 2020, only 155,000 marriages were celebrated. But 204,000 paces were celebrated, all genders. In total, approximately 400,000 people formalize their relationship through marriage or marriage each year.
517,000 marriages in 1946
In the aftermath of the war and in a still very religious society, marriages in France had increased considerably, peaking at 517,000. Ten years later, this number has dropped to 293,000 marriages. By 1972, the number of unions had increased to 416,000 before decreasing over time.
GenZ is more about marriage
According to a YouGov study of 1,000 GenZ citizens aged between 18 and 27 in the UK, and although marriages are declining in the country, the younger generation seems to be reversing the trend. On the issue of marriage, only 21% of young people think it does not matter. Twenty years ago, 39% of millennials shared this idea, showing a growing acceptance of marriage and a return to more traditional ways of life.
25.9 years: the ideal age for marriage
According to a study conducted in 18 countries, the ideal age for marriage is 25.9 years. However, the figures vary between countries. In Bangladesh, for example, respondents estimate the perfect age for marriage to be 21.2 years. In Argentina, this figure rises to 28.9 years. According to the results, ideal age and actual age of marriage are positively correlated.
68% of marriages celebrated over 5 months
It’s no surprise: the marriage is seasonal. INSEE mentions that 68% of unions were celebrated between May and September in 2023. Celebrating your wedding is therefore intimately linked to the sun and good weather!
Less than one in two people are married or in a union in the UK
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates are based on 2022. The percentage of people over 16 who are married or living in a civil union in England and Wales has fallen to 49.4%, down from 51.2% ten years earlier.
A 60% decrease in marriages in the United States
The same is true in the US. 69% of Americans believe that a couple can live together without getting married. Marriages have declined by 60% since the 1970s. In 1980, there were 10.6 marriages for every 1,000 Americans. In 2022, this figure fell to 6.2. One of the reasons put forward by Lymon Stone of the Institute for Families Studies or Daniel T. Lichter, PhD, of Cornell University, reported by the media DNA, is that men would be less attractive economically speaking…
A 20% drop in marriages in China
The case is most alarming in China, where singles are having difficulty meeting new people. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs has published its statistics for 2023: the number of marriages in China increased from 7.7 million in 2023 to 6.1 million in 2024, less than half of the number recorded in 2013. This figure is the lowest since marriage registration began in 1986, with marriages falling by 20% to a record high last year.
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