Fact Check: "The crude marriage rate was approximately 6.45 per 1,000."
What We Know
The claim regarding the crude marriage rate being approximately 6.45 per 1,000 is not directly supported by the most recent data available. According to a report by Krista Westrick-Payne, the crude marriage rates are defined as the number of marriages per 1,000 total population, which is distinct from the refined marriage rate that focuses on unmarried women aged 15 and older. The report indicates that the refined marriage rate in the U.S. was stable at 31.5 women marrying per 1,000 unmarried women in 2023, but does not provide a specific crude marriage rate for that year (source-1).
Additionally, data from Eurostat indicates that the highest crude marriage rates in the EU were reported at 5.8 per 1,000 in Romania and 5.6 in Latvia, suggesting that a crude marriage rate of 6.45 per 1,000 would be relatively high compared to these figures (source-5).
Analysis
The claim lacks a clear source that directly confirms a crude marriage rate of 6.45 per 1,000 for the U.S. The most relevant data from Westrick-Payne's report focuses on refined marriage rates, which are more specific and do not equate to the crude marriage rate being discussed. The distinction between crude and refined rates is crucial; crude rates consider the total population while refined rates focus on a specific demographic (source-1).
Moreover, the crude marriage rates reported in other regions, such as the EU, are lower than the figure in question. This discrepancy raises questions about the validity of the claim. The reliability of the sources also varies; while Westrick-Payne's report is a credible academic source, the claim itself lacks citation from a similarly reputable source that confirms the specific figure of 6.45 per 1,000.
Conclusion
Needs Research: The claim that "the crude marriage rate was approximately 6.45 per 1,000" is not substantiated by current data. The absence of a direct source confirming this figure, alongside the distinction between crude and refined marriage rates, indicates that further investigation is required to verify the accuracy of this claim.
Sources
- Refined Marriage Rate in the U.S.: Geographic Variation ... (https://www.bgsu.edu/ncfmr/resources/data/family-profiles/FP-24-25.html)
- Annual Vital Statistics Report 2020 - Kerala (https://ecostat.kerala.gov.in/storage/publications/656.pdf)
- U.S. Divorce Rates Down, Marriage Rates Stagnant From ... (https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/10/marriage-and-divorce.html)
- Demographics of Moldova (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Moldova)
- Marriage and divorce statistics - Statistics Explained - Eurostat (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Marriage_and_divorce_statistics)
- Marriage rates (https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/marriage-rate-per-1000-inhabitants)
- Divorce Statistics: Over 115 Studies, Facts and Rates for ... (https://www.wf-lawyers.com/divorce-statistics-and-facts/)
- Main Results Marriages 2023 - Central Statistics Office (https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-mar/marriages2023/mainresults/)
