Declining Marriage and Increasing Cohabitation

For many couples cohabitation has become an alternative to marriage rather than simply a step toward it. Credit: ShutterstockOpinion by Joseph Chamie (portland, usa)Tuesday, September 22, 2026Inter Press Service PORTLAND, USA, September 22 (IPS) - Marriage is declining in many countries, with fewer people marrying and many postponing marriage until later in life. At the same time, increasing numbers of men and women are choosing cohabitation instead of marriage. Various social, economic, and legal factors have contributed to this shift from marriage to cohabitation. Moreover, cohabitation is increasingly not simply a prelude to marriage but, in many cases, an alternative to it. Although its prevalence varies considerably across regions and countries, cohabitation among unmarried couples has continued to rise in many parts of the world.Historical demographic trends indicate that marriage has become less common over the past several decades, with particularly pronounced declines among younger adults. Nearly 90% of the world’s population lives in a country where marriage rates are declining. This change in union formation is part of the broader transformation in family and household p...