MONROE - Fewer people are getting married, and fewer people are getting divorced, according to findings of a new state report.
The number of marriages in Wisconsin has been declining annually since 1980, according to the report Wisconsin Marriages and Divorces 2007, recently published by the Bureau of Health Information and Policy within the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services.
There were 32,159 marriages in Wisconsin in 2007, a rate of 5.7 per 1,000 people. That represents a decrease from 33,437 unions in 2006, a rate of 6.0.
The national average was 7.3 in both 2006 and 2007.
Historically, Wisconsin's 2007 marriage rate is the lowest since 1930, when the marriage rate was 5.2 and only 15,328 marriages were performed in the state. Banner years for marriages were in 1945 and 1950, when the marriage rates were 8.5 and 8.4, respectively, and in 1980, and 1985, when the rates were 8.7 and 8.4. The marriage rate in 2000 was 6.7, and declined steadily through the subsequent six years.
The report lists data historically from 1920 to 2000 in five-year increments, and then yearly from 2000 to the present.
The highest national rate was in 1945, when it topped 12.2 weddings per 1,000 people.
Not surprisingly, the median age for first-time brides and grooms in the state has been increasing through the years. In 1920, the median age for a bride was 20.4, while a groom was 22.9. That age has increased steadily through the decades and in 2007 was 25.2 for women and 26.8 for men. Likewise, the median age for remarriages has increased from 39.9 for women and 45.1 for men in 1920 to 45.1 for women and 47.6 for men in 2007.
And the image of the June bride still holds true - to some degree. June, August and September were the most popular months to wed. September was No. 1 across the state, but July was most popular in Green County, followed by June and September. Lafayette County saw fairly equal popularity for nuptials in each warm weather month from May to September.
Data also showed the number of divorces has declined some over the years. There were 16,458 divorces in the state last year, which represents a rate of 2.9 per 1,000. In 2006, there were 16,730 divorces, a rate of 3.0. Percentage-wise, however, the number of divorces in the state was 51 percent of the number of marriages that occurred last year. In 2006, that percentage was 50 percent.
The national divorce rate was 3.6 for both 2007 and 2006.
There were 115 divorces and one annulment in Green County last year. Of those, 45 affected a total of 76 children under 18 years old. Lafayette County saw 42 divorces, 27 of which affected 49 children under 18.
The number of marriages in Wisconsin has been declining annually since 1980, according to the report Wisconsin Marriages and Divorces 2007, recently published by the Bureau of Health Information and Policy within the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services.
There were 32,159 marriages in Wisconsin in 2007, a rate of 5.7 per 1,000 people. That represents a decrease from 33,437 unions in 2006, a rate of 6.0.
The national average was 7.3 in both 2006 and 2007.
Historically, Wisconsin's 2007 marriage rate is the lowest since 1930, when the marriage rate was 5.2 and only 15,328 marriages were performed in the state. Banner years for marriages were in 1945 and 1950, when the marriage rates were 8.5 and 8.4, respectively, and in 1980, and 1985, when the rates were 8.7 and 8.4. The marriage rate in 2000 was 6.7, and declined steadily through the subsequent six years.
The report lists data historically from 1920 to 2000 in five-year increments, and then yearly from 2000 to the present.
The highest national rate was in 1945, when it topped 12.2 weddings per 1,000 people.
Not surprisingly, the median age for first-time brides and grooms in the state has been increasing through the years. In 1920, the median age for a bride was 20.4, while a groom was 22.9. That age has increased steadily through the decades and in 2007 was 25.2 for women and 26.8 for men. Likewise, the median age for remarriages has increased from 39.9 for women and 45.1 for men in 1920 to 45.1 for women and 47.6 for men in 2007.
And the image of the June bride still holds true - to some degree. June, August and September were the most popular months to wed. September was No. 1 across the state, but July was most popular in Green County, followed by June and September. Lafayette County saw fairly equal popularity for nuptials in each warm weather month from May to September.
Data also showed the number of divorces has declined some over the years. There were 16,458 divorces in the state last year, which represents a rate of 2.9 per 1,000. In 2006, there were 16,730 divorces, a rate of 3.0. Percentage-wise, however, the number of divorces in the state was 51 percent of the number of marriages that occurred last year. In 2006, that percentage was 50 percent.
The national divorce rate was 3.6 for both 2007 and 2006.
There were 115 divorces and one annulment in Green County last year. Of those, 45 affected a total of 76 children under 18 years old. Lafayette County saw 42 divorces, 27 of which affected 49 children under 18.