This document discusses how marriage can help reduce childhood poverty in Utah. It provides statistics showing that the percentage of children born out of wedlock in Utah has risen from 1.9% in 1964 to 19.2% in 2010. Children in single-parent families are much more likely to live in poverty compared to children in married, two-parent families. The document recommends three steps to help reduce child poverty through marriage: providing information on the benefits of marriage, reducing penalties for marriage in welfare programs, and promoting programs to strengthen marriages.

1. Marriage:
Utah’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 Utah, 1929–2010
Throughout most of Utah’s PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
history, out-of-wedlock childbear-
ing was rare. 25%
When the federal government’s
War on Poverty began in 1964,
only 1.9 percent of children in 20%
Utah were born out of wedlock. 19.2%
However, over the next four
decades, the number rose rapidly.
By 2010, 19.2 percent of births in 15%
Utah occurred outside of marriage.
10%
Note: Initiated by President Lyndon
Johnson in 1964, the War on Poverty
led to the creation of more than three 5%
dozen welfare programs to aid poor
persons. Government has spent $16.7
trillion on means-tested aid to the poor
since 1964.
0%
Sources: U.S. Government, U.S. Census
Bureau, and National Center for Health 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Statistics.
Chart 1 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

3. Death of Marriage in Utah, 1929–2010
The marital birth rate—the PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN TO MARRIED COUPLES
percentage of all births that occur
to married parents—is the flip side 100%
of the out-of-wedlock birth rate.
Through most of the 20th cen-
tury, marital births were the norm 95%
in Utah. In 1964, over 98 percent
of births occurred to married
couples.
However, in the mid-1960s the 90%
marital birth rate began to fall
steadily. By 2010, only 80.8 per-
cent of births in Utah occurred to
married couples. 85%
80.8%
80%
Note: In any given year, the sum of the
out-of-wedlock birth rate (Chart 1)
and the marital birth rate (Chart 2)
equals 100 percent of all births.
75%
Sources: U.S. Government, U.S. Census
Bureau, and National Center for Health 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Statistics.
Chart 2 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

4. In Utah, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty by 82 Percent
The rapid rise in out-of- PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE POOR
wedlock childbearing is a major 40%
cause of high levels of child pov-
erty in Utah.
Some 30.5 percent of single
mothers with children are poor 30.5%
30%
compared to 5.5 percent of mar-
ried couples with children.
Single-parent families with
children are nearly six times more
20%
likely to be poor than families in
which the parents are married.
The higher poverty rate among
single-mother families is due both
to the lower education levels of 10%
the mothers and the lower income 5.5%
due to the absence of the father.
0%
Single-Parent, Married,Two-Parent
Female-Headed Families
Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

5. Nearly One-Fifth of All Families with Children in Utah Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
about four in every five families
with children in Utah. Around one
in five are single-parent families. Unmarried
Families
20.6%
Married
Families
79.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

6. In Utah, 55 Percent of Poor Families with Children Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in Utah, over half are not
married. By contrast, 45.5 percent
of poor families with children are
headed by married couples.
Married Unmarried
Families Families
45.5% 54.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 5 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

7. In Utah, 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 8.9 percent of
out-of-wedlock births in Utah Under
occur to girls under age 18. Age 18:
By contrast, some 76 percent of 8.9%
out-of-wedlock births occur to Age
young adult women between the 30–54:
ages of 18 and 29. 15.5%
Age
18–19:
16.1%
Age
25–29:
22.7%
Age
20–24:
36.8%
Note: Figures have been rounded.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS data.
Chart 6 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

8. Less-Educated Women in Utah Are More Likely to Give Birth
Outside 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%
porting children by themselves: those 8.1% Unmarried
with low levels of education. 90%
Mothers
In the U.S., among women who
80%
42%
are high school dropouts, about 65.2
percent of all births occur outside
54.5%
70%
marriage. Among women who have 65.2%
only a high school diploma, well over 60% Married
91.8%
half of all births occur outside mar- Mothers
riage. By contrast, among women 50%
with at least a college degree, only
40%
8.1 percent of births are out of wed- 58%
lock. 30%
45.5%
Note: Specific data on out-of-wedlock 20%
births and maternal education are not 34.8%
available in Utah. However, the pattern 10%
varies little between states. Utah data
will be very similar to the national data 0%
presented in this chart. 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 7 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

9. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective in Reducing
Child Poverty in Utah
The poverty rate of married PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES Poverty Rate of Families by
couples with children is dramati- WITH CHILDREN THAT Single
Education and Marital Status
cally lower than the rate for ARE POOR Married
of the Head of Household
households headed by single 50%
parents. This is true even when
the married couple is compared to 43.6%
single parents with the same edu- 40%
cation level.
For example, in Utah, the pov- 30.7%
erty rate for a single mother who 30%
has only a high school diploma is 23.3%
30.7 percent, but the poverty rate
for a married couple family
20% 18.2% 16.7%
headed by an individual who,
similarly, has only a high school 10%
degree is far lower at 7.7 percent. 7.7%
5.8%
On average, marriage drops the 2.5%
poverty rate by about 73 percent 0%
among families with the same High School High School Some College
education level. Dropout Graduate College Graduate
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 8 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

10. Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in Utah
Out-of-wedlock childbearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies considerably by race.
80%
In 2008, 20.4 percent of births
in Utah occurred outside marriage. 8.3%
The rate was lowest among 70% 66.2%
non-Hispanic whites. In this group
around one in eight (13.6 percent) 60%
were born outside marriage.
Among Asians, nearly one in 45.8% 47.7%
50%
five children were born out of
wedlock. Among Hispanics, 45.8
40%
percent of births were out of
wedlock. Among blacks, nearly
half of all births were to unmarried 30%
women. The rate was highest 20.4% 18.8%
among American Indian women. 20%
In this group, two-thirds of births 13.6%
were non-marital.
10%
0%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease All Races White Asian Hispanic Black American
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS Non- Non- Indian
data. Hispanic Hispanic
Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

11. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in Utah
In Utah in 2008, some 76.8 ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
percent of all births occurred to
non-Hispanic whites, 17 percent
occurred to Hispanics, 3.2 percent
occurred to Asians, and 1.2 percent
were to American Indian women.
Because Hispanics, American 76.8% White 51.1%
Indians, and blacks are more likely to Non-Hispanic
have children without being married,
they account for a disproportionately
larger share of all out-of-wedlock
births. Even so, the majority of
unwed births still occur to white
non-Hispanic women.
In Utah in 2008, 51.1 percent of all
non-marital births were to 38.2%
non-Hispanic whites, 38.2 percent
were to Hispanic women, 4 percent 17% Hispanic
were to American Indians, and 3 Asian/Pacific 3%
percent were to Asian women. 3.2% Islander
1.2% American Indian 4.0%
1.0% Black Non-Hispanic 2.3%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and 0.8% Not Stated 1.4%
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.
Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

12. Non-Married White Families Are Six Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Utah
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, American
Indians, and Hispanics.
25%
For example, in 2009, the pov-
erty rate for married white families
20.2%
in Utah was 3.4 percent. But the
poverty rate for non-married white 20%
families was six times higher at
20.2 percent.
15%
10%
5% 3.4%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

13. Non-Married Black Families Are Nearly Four Times More Likely
to Be Poor in Utah
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in Utah was
8 percent, while the poverty rate 33.9%
35%
for non-married black families was
four times higher at 33.9 percent.
30%
25%
20%
15%
10% 8%
5%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

14. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Three Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Utah
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in Utah
was 12.6 percent, while the pov- 38.1%
40%
erty rate among non-married
families was over three times
higher at 38.1 percent. 35%
30%
25%
20%
15% 12.6%
10%
5%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 13 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

15. Non-Married American Indian Families Are Nearly Four Times
More Likely to Be Poor in Utah
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
American Indian married families
in Utah was 12 percent, while the
50%
poverty rate among non-married
families was over almost four 42.4%
times higher at 42.4 percent.
40%
30%
20%
12%
10%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 14 • Marriage and Poverty in Utah heritage.org

16. 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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