Changing Patterns of Remarriage

Abstract

After briefly reviewing recent trends in US remarriage rates this paper focuses on the variation in these rates as measured in the 1980 and 1985 June Current Population Surveys. For data quality reasons it focuses on rates observed in the 5 years before each of the surveys. It begins by discussing the demographic composition of separation cohorts as a factor affecting remarriage rates and ultimately the structure of remarriages. It next examines proportional hazard estimates of differentials in remarriage rates. Finally using life-table procedures it draws out some of the important implications of differing remarriage rates by estimating expected proportions who will ever remarry. The rate of remarriage has declined among divorced women of all ages though the declines were greatest among women under age 25 at the time of divorce--56% between 1965 and 1980. The slight recovery since 1980 may well reflect the changing age structure of divorced women under age 25 produced by the radical drop in 1st marriage rates of women under age 25. Increasing cohabitation over the last 2 decades may also have played some role in declining remarriage rates. Only 15% of recent marital disruptions occurred to women over the age of 40. Substantially lower remarriage rates are observed for women whose 1st marriage lasted longer but these effects are completely eliminated when other variables in particular age at separation are controlled. Age factors are what matters for remarriage and not experience or habits. The findings indicate that remarriage is approximately a quarter lower among women with children than among childless women. Remarriage is less common among blacks than among whites.