51% of Women Are Now Living Without Spouse

It is probably the first time in American history that the majority of American women do not live with a husband.

An analysis of census data by the New York Times reveals that the majority of American women do not live with a husband. Living without a spouse has been a growing trend over the past 40 years. In 1950 the percentage of women without a husband was 35%; in the year 2000 it was 49%. “Several factors are driving the statistical shift. At one end of the age spectrum, women are marrying later or living with unmarried partners more often and for longer periods. At the other end, women are living longer as widows and, after a divorce, are more likely than men to delay remarriage, sometimes delighting in their newfound freedom. In addition, marriage rates among black women remain low. Only about 30 percent of black women are living with a spouse, according to the Census Bureau, compared with about 49 percent of Hispanic women, 55 percent of non-Hispanic white women and more than 60 percent of Asian women.” One expert says this is the culmination of the trend that began in the 1960’s when women started becoming less dependent on men. Many women feel that such an arrangement gives them more freedom and more choices.