Marriage Opportunities and Family Formation: Further Implications of Imbalanced Sex Ratios

Abstract

Vital statistics data are merged with census data to examine the impact of womens marriage opportunities on family formation and dissolution [in the United States]. Measures of the quantity and quality of potential spouses specific for a womans age race education and area of residence are linked to rates of marriage divorce and nonmarital fertility. Greater marriage opportunities increase rates of marriage and divorce and decrease illegitimacy ratios. Unemployment among prospective husbands reduces marriage and divorce rates but increases illegitimacy. Racial differences in marriage opportunities account for a moderate proportion of the racial difference in female marriage....The data for this study come primarily from two sources: the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) data files on annual marriages divorces and births in 1980 and 1981...and the 5% A sample of public use microdata (PUMS) from the 1980 U.S. census.... (EXCERPT)