Marriage and divorce rates are declining. Why?

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – We have a lot fewer weddings in Louisiana. We also divorce less.

youngest statistics show that fewer couples in the US are divorcing or marrying. It’s a national trend. So what’s keeping us from tying the knot, breaking up and sticking together?

According to a, the marriage rate in Louisiana has dropped 21% since 2011 rental tree Analysis.

According to the most recent census, 36% of people in Louisiana have never married.

Experts say people do seem to marry later in life, and theories as to why vary. Some believe More and more people are putting off the big “Yes, I do” for financial reasons—such as rising living costs and student loan debt. Others claim The trend is that millennials don’t prioritize it.

Divorces in Louisiana have declined significantly — 17% since 2011. But some marriages still don’t make it.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventionin 2021, Louisiana’s divorce rate was 2.2, up from the 2020 rate of 1.4.

what separates us

Baton Rouge Marriage Counselor Dean Sunseri, LPC, shared the most common reasons for divorce local couples.

“Some of the most common challenges married couples face are infidelity, communication problems, not meeting each other’s needs, or being absorbed in their children and neglecting their relationship,” he said.

Many couples considering divorce base their decision on several factors. According to Sunseri, these include:

• The couple’s religious beliefs.
• Your willingness to work on problems.
• The level of problems in their marriage.
• The history of each partner’s family of origin and its impact on their desire to commit.

What keeps us together?

A couple of long-time married couples from the capital region told us what drives them.

Bonnie and Chris Long have been married for about 15 years. “It’s important to think of your partner as your best friend and to find things that you enjoy doing together,” they said.

Christa Causey Guy and her husband tied the knot nearly 37 years ago and they’re still in love. Guy shared the twofold secret of their happy marriage, saying: “You both need to be good at forgiving. And you have to bite your tongue.”

Baton Rouge’s Tammy and Joe Martin expressed similar sentiments. They have been married for more than a decade. Tammy attributed their successful partnership to faith and communication skills.

“Have a spiritual life with God in your marriage! A triple cord is harder to break!” she said. “Furthermore, communication is crucial. We are not mind readers. Being best friends with your mate helps in that regard.”

Click here for related statistics from the Louisiana Department of Health.