Men Are Now More Likely To Be Single Than Women. It's Not A Good Sign

Advanced Level

Almost a third of adult single men live with a parent. Single men are much more likely to be unemployed, financially fragile and to lack a college degree than those with a partner. They’re also likely to have lower median earnings. Single women, meanwhile , earn the same as they did 30 years ago, but those with partners have increased their earnings by 50%.

These are some of the findings of a new research analysis on the growing gap between American adults who live with a partner and those who do not. While the study is less about the effect of marriage and more about the effect that changing economic circumstances have had on marriage, it sheds light on  some unexpected outcomes of shifts in the labor market.

The study shows, the proportion of American adults who live with a significant other also declined substantially . Partly, this is because people are taking longer to establish  that relationship. The median age of marriage is creeping up.

Most researchers agree that the trendlines showing that fewer people are getting married and that those who do are increasingly better off financially have a lot more to do with the effect of wealth and education on marriage than vice versa. People who are financially stable are just much more likely to find and attract a partner.

It’s not that marriage is making people be richer than it used to, it’s that marriage is becoming an increasingly elite institution, so that people are increasingly only getting married if they already have economic advantages.

This may explain why fewer men than women find partners. The economic pressures on men are stronger. Research has shown that an ability to provide financially is still a more prized asset in men than in women, although the trend is shifting.

But there is also evidence that having a partner improves the economic fortunes of couples, both men and women. It’s not that they only have to pay one rent or buy one fridge, it’s that having a partner suggests having a future.

There’s a way in which marriage makes men more responsible, and that makes them better workers. Single men are more likely than married men to leave a job before finding another. After marriage men work longer hours and earn more.

There’s also evidence that the decline in marriage is not just all about being wealthy enough to afford  it. Since 1990, women have graduated college in far higher numbers than men. You get women who are relativelyliberal, having gone to college, and men who are relatively conservative, still living in a working-class world, and that can create a kind of political and cultural divide that makes it harder for people to connect romantically as well.

What seems to be clear is that the path to marriage increasingly runs through college. It’s quite startling how much the partnered women have now outpaced single women. About 43% of partnered women have completed at least a bachelor’s degree compared to a third of single women. Women may be going to college in greater numbers because it helps them attract a partner in the same way it helps men. Not only are they rewarded in the labor market with higher earnings, but increasingly, partnership also depends on educational attainment.

 Elementary Level

Almost a third of adult single men live with a parent. Single men are much more likely to be unemployed, financially weak and to lack a college degree than those with a partner. They’re also likely to have lower median earnings. While single women earn the same as they did 30 years ago, those with partners have increased their earnings by 50%.

These are some of the findings of a new research analysis on the growing difference between American adults who live with a partner and those who do not. The study is less about the effect of marriage and more about the effect that changing economic circumstances have had on marriage. However, it makes understanding the unexpected outcomes of shifts in the labor market easier.

The study shows, the proportion of American adults who live with a partner also decreased a lot. Partly, this is because people are taking longer to establish that relationship. The median age of marriage is increasing.

Most researchers agree that the trendlines showing that the effect of wealth and education on marriage is related to the fact that fewer people are getting married and that those who do increasingly have more money. People who are financially stable are just much more likely to find and attract a partner.

It’s not that marriage is making people be richer than it used to, it’s that marriage is becoming increasingly a part of richer people’s life, so that people are increasingly only getting married if they already have economic advantages.

This may explain why fewer men than women find partners. The economic pressures on men are stronger. Research has shown that an ability to provide financially is still a more important asset in men than in women, although the trend is changing.

But there is also evidence that having a partner improves the economic chances of couples, both men and women. It’s not that they only have to pay one rent or buy one fridge, it’s that having a partner suggests having a future.

There’s a way in which marriage makes men more responsible, and that makes them better workers. Single men are more likely than married men to leave a job before finding another. After marriage men work longer hours and earn more.

There’s also evidence that the decrease in marriage is not just all about being wealthy enough to pay for it. Since 1990, women have graduated college in far higher numbers than men. You get women who are relatively  liberal, having gone to college, and men who are relatively conservative , still living in a working-class world, and that can create a kind of political and cultural divide that makes it harder for people to connect romantically as well.

What seems to be clear is that the marriage is increasingly related to education. It’s quite surprising how much the women who have partners have now outpaced single women. About 43% of them have completed at least a bachelor’s degree compared to a third of single women. Women may be going to college in greater numbers because it helps them attract a partner in the same way it helps men. Not only do they have higher earnings in the labor market, but increasingly, partnership also depends on educational attainment.

ترجمه فارسی

الان احتمالش بیشتره که مردها مجرد بمونن تا خانم ها. این نشونه خوبی نیست.

تقریباً یک سوم مردان بزرگسال مجرد با یکی از والدین زندگی میکنن. احتمالش بیشتره که مردان مجرد بیکار، از لحاظ مالی ضعیف و بدون مدرک دانشگاهی باشن نسبت به اونایی که شریک زندگی دارن. همچنین احتمالاً میانگین درآمد پایین تری دارن. در همین حین، خانم های مجرد به همون اندازه 30 سال پیش درآمد دارن، اما اونایی که شریک زندگی دارن درآمدشون 50% افزایش پیدا کرده.

اینها چند تا از یافته های یه تحقیق جدید روی فاصله رو به رشد بین بزرگسالان آمریکایی است که با شریک زندگی و تنها زندگی میکنن. با این که این تحقیق کمتر درباره تأثیر ازدواجه و بیشتر درباره تأثیر شرایط اقتصادی متغیر روی ازدواج هست، نتایج غیر منتظره تغییر در بازار کار رو روشن میکنه.

مطالعه نشون میده نسبت بزرگسالان آمریکایی که با شریک زندگیشون زندگی میکنن همچنین به طور چشمگیری کاهش پیدا کرده. تا حدودی به این دلیله که بیشتر طول میکشه تا مردم رابطه ای تشکلیل بدن. میانگین سن ازدواج داره آروم آروم بالا میره.

بیشتر محققان موافق‌اند که خطوط سیر نشون میدن مردم کمتری دارن ازدواج میکنن و اونهایی که ازدواج میکنن خیلی از نظر مالی شرایط بهتری دارن که این بیشتر مربوط میشه به تأثیر ثروت و تحصیلات بر ازدواج تا برعکسش. کسانی که ثبات مالی دارن احتمالش بیشتره که شریک زندگیشون رو پیدا و جذب کنن.

این به این معنی نیست که ازدواج باعث میشه مردم پولدار تر از قبل باشن، به این معنیه که ازدواج داره عرفی میشه که بیش از پیش متعلق به برگزیدگان (از ما بهترون) است، پس بیش از پیش فقط افرادی ازدواج میکنن که همین حالا هم از نظر اقتصادی جلو هستن.

این توضیحی است برای این که چرا مردان کمتری نسبت به خانم ها شریک زندگیشون رو پیدا میکنن. فشار اقتصادی روی مردان بیشتره تحقیقات نشون داده که توانایی تأمین مالی هنوز یه سرمایه با ارزش در مردان است نسبت به خانم ها، با این که روند داره تغییر میکنه.

اما همچنین شواهدی وجود داره مبنی بر این که داشتن شریک زندگی شانس اقتصادی زوج ها رو بهتر میکنه، هم خانم ها هم آقایون. این به این معنی نیست که فقط یک اجاره پرداخت میکنن یا یک یخچال میخرد، این یعنی داشتن شریک زندگی یعنی امید به آینده.

ازدواج یه جورایی مردها رو مسئول تر میکنه، و این باعث میشه بهتر کار کنن. مردهای مجرد احتمالش بیشتره که قبل از پیدا کردن یه شغل جدید کارشون رو ترک کنن نسبت به مردهای متأهل. بعد از ازدواج مردها ساعت های طولانی تر کار میکنن و بیشتر پول درمیارن.

همچنین شواهدی وجود داره که کاهش ازدواج فقط به خاطر پول کافی داشتن و از عهده براومدن نیست. از سال 1990، خانم ها خیلی بیشتر از آقایون از کالج فارغ التحصیل شده‌اند. خانم هایی هستند نسبتاً روشن فکر که به کالج رفته‌اند و آقایونی نسبتاً محافظه کار که متعلق به طبقه کارگر هستن. و این میتونه شکاف سیاسی و فرهنگی ایجاد کنه که ارتباط احساسی رو برای افراد سخت تر میکنه.

چیزی که واضحه اینه که مسیر ازدواج بیش از پیش از کالج عبور میکنه. خیلی حیرت انگیزه که چقدر خانم هایی که شریک زندگی دارن از خانم های مجرد پیشی گرفته‌اند. حدوداً 43% خانم هایی که شریک زندگی دارن حداقل یک مدرک کارشناسی دارن نسبت به یک سوم خانم های مجرد. تعداد بیشتری از خانم ها ممکنه به کالج برن چون کمک میکنه شریک زندگیشون رو جذب کنن به همون صورت که به مردان کمک میکنه. نه تنها در بازار کار براشون مزیت داره و درآمد بالاتری دارن، بلکه بیش از پیش شریک زندگی داشتن وابسته است به کسب تحصیل.