Study says low marriage rate related to lack of ‘economically attractive’ men

(WBTV) - The marriage rate is down, and a study is giving more insight into one of the reasons why.

A new study by Cornell University found that many men can’t provide enough financial security, or are not “economically attractive.”

In 1960, 72 percent of Americans were married, according to Pew Research. Today, only about 50 percent are married.

The study says part of the drop is because people are getting married later in life. For example, in 1960, the median age for a marriage was 20 for women and 22 for men. Today, it’s 27 for women and 29 for men.

The study says another reason is because 40 percent of adults said they just aren’t financially stable enough to get married.

The researchers compared the incomes of “potential” male spouses with those of men who married similar women. They found men who hadn’t gotten married earned 58 percent less than those who did.

The study describes an “economically attractive” person as someone with a bachelor’s degree or stable job who is making at least $40,000 a year.

It says women are facing a surplus of men who don’t have stable careers or incomes. The study says marriage is still based on love, but it’s also a big economic decision.

Women are now more educated than men and have become more financially independent.

So the study says women are more likely to stay unmarried or marry less well-suited partners.

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