More Americans are living without a spouse or partner these days, according to Pew Research. The share of adults living with a romantic partner has grown, but not enough to offset the decline in marriage, the study shows.
Since 2007 the percentage of U.S. adults who are “unpartnered” has climbed from 39 percent to 42 percent, the study shows.
Roughly 6 in 10 adults under 35 years old are now living without a spouse or partner — up 56 percent from a decade ago. Men are slightly less likely to be in this share of the population than women.
“The rise in adults living without a spouse or partner has also occurred against the backdrop of a third important demographic shift: the aging of American adults,” Pew reports. “Older adults (55 and older) are more likely to have a spouse or partner than younger adults. So it is surprising that the share of adults who are unpartnered has risen even though relatively more Americans are older.”
It’s unlikely that divorce has contributed to this, Pew reports — statistics are complicated, but divorce has been relatively stable or falling for the past several decades. Nearly 6 in 10 unpartnered adults have never been married, and only 2 in 10 are divorced. About 14 percent are widows, with the remainder either separated or married without a spouse present.
Of unpartnered adults, 56 percent are head of their household, 35 percent are living alone and 22 percent are living with others (such as children) in the home.
Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, wrote on his blog that “church leaders repeat often that we desire to know and reach our mission field. And we also know that our mission field demographics are shifting dramatically in the United States.”
He addressed one specific part of this population in a 2014 blog — the rise of single-parent families — and challenged churches to consider five questions:
1. Do the leaders in your church have an awareness of this large population group? Awareness can prompt action, Rainer wrote.
2. Does your church have specific ministries designed for this population segment?
3. What would your church need to do differently to reach this group?
4. Are there any attitudes that would discourage this segment of the population from feeling welcome at your church?
5. Have you attempted to connect with the people in your church who fit this demographic to get clarity about this group?
“Yes, times are changing,” Rainer wrote. “But we in our churches have a great opportunity to reach a growing segment of the U.S. population.” (TAB)
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