Marriage is America's #1 weapon against childhood poverty. This presentation details the impact of marriage on the probability of child poverty in Maryland.

1. Marriage:
Maryland’s No. 1 Weapon
Against
Childhood Poverty
How the Collapse of Marriage Hurts Children
and Three Steps to Reverse the Damage
A Heritage Foundation Book of Charts • January 2012
Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society

2. Growth of Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing in Maryland, 1929–2010
In 2010, a record 41.9 percent PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
of children in Maryland were born
outside marriage. This is very high 50%
by historic standards. Before
World War II, only seven percent
41.9%
of children in Maryland were born
40% 40.8%
outside marriage. By 1980, the
number had risen to 25 percent.
Maryland
National
30%
Note: Data on non-marital births in
Maryland are unavailable between
1940 and 1979. However, all states that
have data for this period had rates
which parallel the national trend shown 20%
in the chart. In these states, the non-
marital birth rates remained low until
the onset of the federal War on
Poverty in the mid-1960s, and then 10%
began to rise steadily. The Maryland
unwed birth rate between 1943 and
1979 very likely parallels the overall
national trend.
0%
Sources: U.S. Government, U.S. Census
Bureau, and National Center for 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Health Statistics.
Chart 1 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

3. In Maryland, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 89 Percent
The rapid rise in out-of- PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE POOR
wedlock childbearing is a major 25%
cause of high levels of child pov- 22.4%
erty in Maryland.
Some 22.4 percent of single
20%
mothers with children were poor
compared to 2.5 percent of mar-
ried couples with children.
Single-parent families with 15%
children are nine times more
likely to be poor than families in
which the parents are married. 10%
The higher poverty rate among
single-mother families is due both
to the lower education levels of
5%
the mothers and the lower income
2.5%
due to the absence of the father.
0%
Single-Parent, Married,Two-Parent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Female-Headed Families
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data. Families
Chart 2 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland s

4. In Maryland, One-Third of All Families with Children Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
about two-thirds of families with
children in Maryland. One-third
are single-parent families.
Unmarried
Families
34.7%
Married
Families
65.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

5. In Maryland, 81 Percent of Poor Families with Children
Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in Maryland, eight in ten
are not married. By contrast, only
19.2 percent of poor families with
Married
children are headed by married Families
couples.
19.2%
Unmarried
Families
80.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

6. In Maryland, Few Unwed Births Occur to Teenagers
Out-of-wedlock births are often PERCENTAGE OF OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
confused erroneously with teen BY AGE OF MOTHER
births, but only 6.4 percent of
out-of-wedlock births in Maryland Under
occur to girls under age 18. Age 18:
6.4%
By contrast, some 73 percent of
out-of-wedlock births occur to
young adult women between the Age
30–54: Age
ages of 18 and 29.
21.1% 18–19:
12.6%
Age Age
25–29: 20–24:
24.6% 35.3%
Note: Figures have been rounded.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data.
Chart 5 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

7. Less-Educated Women Are More Likely to Give Birth
Outside of Marriage
Unwed childbearing occurs most PERCENTAGE OF BIRTHS THAT ARE MARITAL
frequently among the women who OR OUT OF WEDLOCK
will have the greatest difficulty sup-
100% Unmarried
porting children by themselves: those 8.1%
with low levels of education. 90%
Mothers
In the U.S., among women who 42.0%
are high school dropouts, about 65.2 80%
percent of all births occur outside 54.5%
marriage. Among women who have 70%
only a high school diploma, well over 65.2%
60%
half of all births occur outside mar- 91.9% Married
riage. By contrast, among women
50% Mothers
with at least a college degree, only
8.1 percent of births are out of wed- 40%
lock. 58.0%
Note: Specific data on out-of-wedlock 30%
45.5%
births and maternal education are not
available in Maryland. However, the 20%
34.8%
pattern varies little between states.
Maryland data will be very similar to 10%
the national data presented in this
chart. 0%
High School High School Some College Mother’s
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Dropout Graduate College Graduate education
Human Services, Centers for Disease (0–11 (12 (13–15 (16+ level
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS Years) Years) Years) Years)
data.
Chart 6 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

8. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective
in Reducing Child Poverty in Maryland
The poverty rate of married PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES Poverty Rate of Families by
WITH CHILDREN THAT Single
couples with children is dramati- Education and Marital Status
ARE POOR Married
cally lower than the rate for house- of the Head of Household
holds headed by single parents. 50%
This is true even when the married
44.3%
couple is compared to single par-
ents with the same education level. 40%
For example, in Maryland, the
poverty rate for a single mother
30%
who has only a high school 26.6%
diploma is 26.6 percent, but the
poverty rate for a married couple
20% 17.3%
family headed by an individual
who, similarly, has only a high
school degree is far lower at 3.9 10%
9.8%
percent. 7.2%
3.9%
On average, marriage drops the 1.8% 1.1%
poverty rate by around 84 percent 0%
among families with the same High School High School Some College
Dropout Graduate College Graduate
education level.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Note: Virtually none of the heads of families in the chart who are high school
Community Survey, 2005–2009 data. dropouts are minor teenagers.
Chart 7 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

9. Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in Maryland
Out-of-wedlock childbearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies considerably by race.
80%
In 2008 (the most recent year
for which racial breakdown is 8.3%
available), over four in ten births 70%
64.2%
(42.4 percent) in Maryland
occurred outside marriage. 60% 57.1%
The rate was lowest among
white non-Hispanics. Among that 50%
group about one in four births 42.4%
(26.7 percent) were non-marital.
40%
Among Hispanics, about six in
ten births (57.1 percent) were to 30%
unmarried women. Among black 26.7%
non-Hispanics, almost two-thirds
of births (64.2 percent) were out 20%
of wedlock.
10%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and 0%
Human Services, Centers for Disease All Races White Hispanic Black
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS Non- Non-
data. Hispanic Hispanic
Chart 8 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

10. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in Maryland
In Maryland in 2008, some 46.1 ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
percent of all births occurred to
non-Hispanic whites, 33.6 percent
occurred to non-Hispanic blacks,
and 13.6 percent occurred to
Hispanics. 46.1% 29.1%
White Non-
Because blacks and Hispanics Hispanic
are more likely to have children
without being married, they
account for disproportionately
larger shares of all out-of-wedlock
births.
50.9%
In Maryland in 2008, 50.9 per- Black Non-
cent of all non-marital births were Hispanic
to black non-Hispanic women, 33.6%
29.1 percent were to non-Hispanic
white women, and 18.4 percent
were to Hispanic women.
13.6% Hispanic
18.4%
6.7% 1.6%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Asian/Other
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.
Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

11. Non-Married White Families Are Eight Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Maryland
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, and His-
panics.
16%
For example, in 2009, the pov- 14.3%
erty rate for married white families 14%
in Maryland was 1.7 percent. But
the poverty rate for non-married
12%
white families was nearly eight
times higher at 14.3 percent.
10%
8%
6%
4%
2% 1.7%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

12. Non-Married Black Families Are Seven Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Maryland
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in Maryland
was 2.6 percent, while the poverty
20% 19.0%
rate for non-married black families
was seven times higher at 19 18%
percent.
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2.6%
2%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

13. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Four Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Maryland
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in
Maryland was 4.7 percent, while
25%
the poverty rate among non-
married families was over four
times higher at 20.1 percent. 20.1%
20%
15%
10%
4.7%
5%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in Maryland heritage.org

14. Three Steps to Reduce Child Poverty through Marriage
1) Provide information on the benefits of marriage in reducing child poverty
and improving child well-being.
Marriage is a highly effective institution which greatly decreases parental and child
poverty while improving long-term outcomes for children. Conversely, the absence of
marriage greatly increases welfare costs and imposes added burdens on taxpayers.
Unfortunately, almost no information on these topics is available in low-income
communities. This information deficit should be corrected in the following manner:
• Explain the benefits of marriage in middle and high schools with a high
proportion of at-risk youth;
• Create public education campaigns in low-income communities on the
benefits of marriage; and,
• Require federally funded birth control clinics to provide information on the
benefits of marriage and the skills needed to develop stable families to
interested low-income clients.
2) Reduce anti-marriage penalties in means-tested welfare programs.
3) Promote life-goal-planning, marriage-strengthening, and divorce-reduction
programs to increase healthy marriages and reduce divorce and separation.

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