In this opinion piece, Stephen Moore argues that declining marriage rates among young American men carry serious economic and social consequences. Citing figures on unmarried men and married-couple households, he links the trend to loneliness, family instability and reduced economic opportunity. Moore examines changing expectations around marriage and parenthood and calls for a national discussion on strengthening family life.
OPINION: The Marriage Deficit Is An Economic Catastrophe
Stephen Moore
Originally published by The Epoch Times and republished by ZeroHedge, 20 September 2026.
The Beatles told us: "All you need is love."
They were right, but along with love must come marriage.
But marriage rates have plummeted, especially among young men.
A Pulitzer Prize-worthy story by Sean Salai of The Washington Times crunches all the numbers. To say they are worrisome would be a vast understatement.
- In 2025, nearly twice as many men ages 18 to 39 were unmarried as were married.
- There were 30.4 million unmarried men ages 18 to 39 in 2025, up 47 percent from 20.7 million in 2000.
- In the same period, married men in this age range dropped by 15 percent, from 18.1 million to 15.4 million. "Such men are more likely to be lonely, prone to deaths of despair and unhappy," according to Brad Wilcox, a University of Virginia sociologist.
- Forty-two percent of working-class men are unmarried, according to educational psychologist Donna R. Turner. In 1980, 73 percent of working-class men were married.
I could go on and with these depressing statistics.
But I believe the decline in marriage and children is a threat to the American future much more dangerous than even the national debt, climate change, cancer or foreign aggression.
Family is the essential organizing unit in America. We're not to live in Soviet-style communes where the authority figure is "Big Brother."
Every study shows that the decline in marriage among young men is tied to alcoholism, violent crime, drug abuse, pornography, depression, isolation, less economic success and suicide.
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Are women to blame?
Certainly. Study shows that as women have become more career oriented, they are having a harder time "marrying up."
Generation X and millennials have become choosier in finding a mate and more likely to have children alone, if they have them at all.
"Women have less structural need for marriage than past generations did," said Angelica Gianchandani, a New York University finance instructor. "Rising income and education give many women a financial independence marriage once provided, and donor sperm and fertility treatment have decoupled motherhood from a partner altogether."
Women are much less likely to be religious today than in decades past. So holy matrimony is less of a lifetime priority or moral obligation.
We do know that when women raise children without a father in the home - for whatever reason - their kids, especially their sons, are less successful. It's a particular problem for black women to find a suitable mate when so many young black males are incarcerated.
I'm thrashing for explanations and solutions to this deeply troubling social trend. Obviously, we are not returning to the "Father Knows Best" norms of the 1950s or 1960s.
But recovery starts with admitting we have a problem. I would suggest that President Donald Trump announce a national bipartisan commission on "Rediscovering Love, Marriage and Parenthood."
One last stat to underscore the urgency of turning around these trends:
The latest Census Bureau data indicate that 47 percent of households were headed by married couples last year, down from 78.8 percent in 1949.
That trend MUST be reversed to advance America's economic prosperity and human happiness.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times, ZeroHedge or eLocal.
Editor's Note: New Zealand Faces the Same Marriage Decline
This is not solely an American issue. New Zealand is experiencing a sustained decline in marriage rates. According to Stats NZ, 17,481 marriages and civil unions were registered by couples living in New Zealand in 2025, down from 18,033 in 2024. The marriage rate was 7.6 per 1,000 people eligible to marry, compared with 15.5 in 2000.
The consequences deserve examination here, too. Housing affordability, the cost of raising children, financial insecurity and changing expectations about relationships can all influence whether people marry or start families. Stable, supportive relationships matter to individuals and communities, but marriage rates alone cannot tell us whether New Zealanders are forming lasting partnerships: many couples live together without marrying.
For eLocal, the question is whether New Zealand is creating the conditions in which people who want to marry, raise children and build a secure family life can realistically afford to do so. That means looking beyond the wedding statistics to household incomes, housing costs, employment security and the support available to parents and children.
Source: Stats NZ, Marriages, civil unions, and divorces: Year ended December 2025
Source
Author: Stephen Moore
Original publication: The Epoch Times, The Marriage Deficit Is An Economic Catastrophe
Republished by: ZeroHedge, 20 September 2026