Share of births outside marriage in United States
United States: Share of births outside marriage was 40 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
40
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
24th
of 43 countries
All-time high
41
in 2009
All-time low
5.3
in 1960
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Share of births outside marriage in United States, 1960–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
United States recorded 40 for share of births outside marriage in 2023.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of births outside marriage in United States peaked at 41 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 5.3, in 1960.
That places United States 24th out of 43 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Share of births outside marriage in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.3 | — |
| 1961 | 5.6 | +5.7% |
| 1962 | 5.9 | +5.4% |
| 1963 | 6.3 | +6.8% |
| 1964 | 6.9 | +9.5% |
| 1965 | 7.7 | +11.6% |
| 1966 | 8.4 | +9.1% |
| 1967 | 9 | +7.1% |
| 1968 | 9.7 | +7.8% |
| 1969 | 10 | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 10.7 | +7.0% |
| 1971 | 11.3 | +5.6% |
| 1972 | 12.4 | +9.7% |
| 1973 | 13 | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 13.2 | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 14.3 | +8.3% |
| 1976 | 14.8 | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 15.5 | +4.7% |
| 1978 | 16.3 | +5.2% |
| 1979 | 17.1 | +4.9% |
| 1980 | 18.4 | +7.6% |
| 1981 | 18.9 | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 19.4 | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 20.3 | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 21 | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 22 | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 23.4 | +6.4% |
| 1987 | 24.5 | +4.7% |
| 1988 | 25.7 | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 27.1 | +5.4% |
| 1990 | 28 | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 29.5 | +5.4% |
| 1992 | 30.1 | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 31 | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 32.6 | +5.2% |
| 1995 | 32.2 | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 32.4 | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 32.4 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 32.8 | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 33 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 33.2 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 33.5 | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 34 | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 34.6 | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 35.8 | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 36.9 | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 38.5 | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 39.7 | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 40.6 | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 41 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 40.8 | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 40.7 | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 40.7 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 40.6 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 40.2 | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 40.3 | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 39.8 | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 39.8 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 39.6 | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 40 | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 40.5 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 40 | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 39.8 | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 40 | +0.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 40 is below the median for high income countries, which is 40.23, 99% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.48 | 5.3 | 10 | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.86 | 10.7 | 17.1 | 10 |
| 1980s | 22.07 | 18.4 | 27.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.4 | 28 | 33 | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.78 | 33.2 | 41 | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.25 | 39.6 | 40.8 | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.08 | 39.8 | 40.5 | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More population data for United States
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.8 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0241 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 375,392 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4762 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1565 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.129 (2100)
- Population density 46.05 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 19.91 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of births outside marriage in United States?
- Share of births outside marriage in United States was 40 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of births outside marriage recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 41 in 2009.
- What is the lowest share of births outside marriage recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.3 in 1960.
- How does United States rank for share of births outside marriage?
- United States ranks 24th out of 43 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of births outside marriage rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of births outside marriage. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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