There are many possible reasons why people who want to get married one day are not currently married. What would you say are some of the reasons you are not married at the present time? [OPEN-ENDED]
Asked of those who have never been married but would like to be married someday
2013 Jun 20-24
%
Haven't found the right person
31
Too young/Not ready
26
Money/Financial reasons
18
No time
7
Career considerations
6
Still in school
6
Gay/Gay marriage illegal in state
4
Don't trust people
4
Currently engaged/Getting married
2
Haven't been asked/Waiting
2
Other
8
No reason in particular
2
No opinion
3
Gallup
How many different times have you ever been married?
Zero
One
Two
Three
Four or more
No opinion
Mean
%
%
%
%
%
%
National adults
2013 Jun 20-24
27
53
14
4
1
1
1.0
2006 May 8-11
19
60
16
3
1
1
1.1
Ever married
2013 Jun 20-24
--
73
19
5
1
1
1.3
2006 May 8-11
--
75
18
4
1
--
1.3
Gallup
How many different times have you ever been divorced?
Zero
One
Two
Three
Four or more
No opinion
Mean
%
%
%
%
%
%
National adults
2013 Jun 20-24
75
16
6
2
*
*
0.3
2006 May 8-11
72
20
7
1
*
*
0.4
Ever married
2013 Jun 20-24
66
22
9
2
*
*
0.5
2006 May 8-11
66
24
9
1
*
*
0.5
Ever divorced
2013 Jun 20-24
--
67
26
6
1
--
1.4
2006 May 8-11
--
71
25
4
1
--
1.4
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup
Now, thinking back to when you were born, were your parents married, or were they not married at that time?
Yes, were married
No, were not
No opinion
%
%
%
2013 Jun 20-24
89
11
1
2006 Jun 8-25
92
8
*
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup
When you were a child, were you raised by both of your parents in the same household, by both parents about equally but in different households, raised mainly by your mother, raised mainly by your father, or were you raised by someone else?
2013 Jun 20-24
2006 Jun 8-25
%
%
Both parents in same household
73
75
Raised mainly by mother
18
17
Both parents equally, different households
3
1
Raised mainly by father
2
2
Grandmother/Great grandmother
1
2
Grandparents
1
1
Someone else
2
1
No opinion
1
*
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup
Just your best guess, do you think that allowing two people of the same sex to legally marry will change our society for -- [ROTATED: the better, will it have no effect or will it change our society for the worse]?
Better
No effect
Worse
No opinion
%
%
%
%
2009 May 7-10
13
36
48
2
2003 Sep 19-21
10
40
48
2
Gallup
Suppose an unmarried couple lives together with children in the household. Do you think that has a -- [ROTATED: positive effect on the children, does it not make a difference, (or does it have a) negative effect on the children]?
Positive effect
No difference
Negative effect
No opinion
%
%
%
%
2008 Jul 25-27
12
47
38
3
Gallup
In general, do you think that an unmarried couple that has lived together for one year is just as committed in their relationship as a couple that has been married for one year, or not?
Yes, just as committed
No, not as committed
No opinion
%
%
%
2008 Jul 25-27 ^
42
53
5
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup
In general, do you think that an unmarried couple that has lived together for five years is just as committed in their relationship as a couple that has been married for five years, or not?
Yes, just as committed
No, not as committed
No opinion
%
%
%
2008 Jul 25-27 ^
57
40
3
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup
Do you think couples that live together before marriage are more likely or less likely to get divorced than couples that do not live together before marriage?
More likely
Less likely
No difference (vol.)
No opinion
%
%
%
%
2008 Jul 25-27
31
49
13
7
2002 Jul 22-24
40
37
14
9
(vol.)=volunteered response
Gallup
Generally speaking, would you say you approve or disapprove of men and women living together without being married if they want to, or is that something you haven't formed an opinion on?
Approve
Disapprove
No opinion
%
%
%
2007 Sep 7-8
55
27
18
Gallup
Have you ever been married, or not?
Yes
No
No opinion
%
%
%
National adults
2006 Jun 8-25
80
20
*
Non-Hispanic whites
2006 Jun 8-25
82
18
*
Blacks
2006 Jun 8-25
65
35
*
Hispanics
2006 Jun 8-25
72
28
*
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup
Using an A, B, C, D and F grading scale like they do in school, what grade would you give your marriage today?
Based on adults who are currently married
A
B
C
D
F
No opinion
%
%
%
%
%
%
2006 May 8-11
65
27
6
1
--
*
2002 Jul 22-24
68
23
6
1
1
1
1996 Sep 3-5
59
29
10
1
*
1
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup
How often do you and your (spouse/partner) disagree about money matters -- frequently, occasionally or rarely]?
Based on adults who are married or living with a partner
Frequently
Occasionally
Rarely
Never (vol.)
No opinion
%
%
%
%
%
2006 Mar 10-12
9
30
57
4
*
* Less than 0.5%; (vol.)=volunteered response
Gallup
Before you got married, how much did you and your spouse talk about combining your finances after you were married -- a lot, a little or not at all?
Based on adults who are married
A lot
A little
Not at all
No opinion
%
%
%
%
2006 Mar 10-12
33
31
35
1
Gallup
During your lifetime, have you ever had a divorce?
Yes, have
No, have not
No opinion
%
%
%
2006 Mar 10-12
30
70
*
1985 Mar 18-31
23
77
--
* Less than 0.5%;
Gallup
Would you say disagreements over money were a major factor, a minor factor or not a factor at all in the decision to get a divorce?
Based on adults who have ever been divorced
Major factor
Minor factor
Not a factor
No opinion
%
%
%
%
2006 Mar 10-12
18
17
62
3
Gallup
Did you and your [husband/wife] live together before you got married or not?
Based on adults who have are currently married
Yes
No
No opinion
%
%
%
2002 Jul 22-24
37
63
*
1996 Sep 3-5
31
69
*
1988 Dec 27-29
19
81
0
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup
Who made the marriage proposal in your family -- you or your [husband/wife]?
Based on those who are married
Husband
Wife
Both (vol.)
Other (vol.)
No opinion
%
%
%
%
%
1997
82
9
5
2
2
1952
76
12
4
8
--
(vol.)=volunteered response
Gallup
Knowing what you do now, if you had to do it over, is there a chance you might not marry the same person, or do you think you probably would, or are you certain you would?
Of 20 behaviors, extramarital affairs and human cloning are seen as the most morally wrong. Birth control and divorce remain the most morally acceptable.
The share of LGBTQ+ Americans who are married to their same-sex partner versus living together is down from the peak shortly after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages. But it remains higher than before the 2015 ruling.
