A notable shift has been observed in the United States in recent years: American women are increasingly opting out of marriage. Multiple news outlets have highlighted this trend, which reflects changing societal values, economic pressures, and evolving personal priorities.
The Wall Street Journal recently published an article titled “American Women Are Giving Up on Marriage,” which has sparked widespread discussion.
The piece details how a growing number of women are choosing to remain single, prioritizing independence, career goals, and personal fulfillment over traditional marital commitments.
According to the report, this shift is not merely anecdotal but is supported by demographic data showing a decline in marriage rates among women across multiple age groups.
The article suggests that economic independence, bolstered by increased workforce participation and higher education attainment, has given women more agency to redefine their life paths.
Supporting this narrative, a CNN report from late 2024 noted that marriage rates in the U.S. have hit historic lows, with women leading the charge in delaying or forgoing matrimony altogether.
The piece cited U.S. Census Bureau statistics indicating that the median age for first marriages among women has risen to nearly 30, up from 27 a decade ago.
CNN interviewed sociologists who argue that this delay is not just a postponement but, for many, a conscious choice to avoid marriage entirely. Factors such as the rising cost of living, student debt, and a desire for autonomy were frequently mentioned by women surveyed.
The New York Times, in a feature published in January 2025, offered a deeper dive into the cultural undercurrents driving this trend. The article highlighted how societal expectations around marriage have shifted, particularly for women.
No longer seen as a prerequisite for financial security or social status, marriage is increasingly viewed as optional.
The Times quoted a 34-year-old single woman from California who said, “I don’t need a partner to feel complete—my life is full with my work, friends, and travel.”
This sentiment aligns with broader findings from Pew Research Center, which reported in 2024 that 40% of American women under 40 now say they are unlikely to ever marry, a significant jump from previous decades.
Economic considerations also play a pivotal role. Forbes, in a March 2025 analysis, pointed out that women are outpacing men in earning advanced degrees and securing high-paying jobs.
This financial empowerment has reduced the traditional economic incentive for marriage.
The article cited a study from the Institute for Family Studies, which found that women with incomes above $75,000 annually were 25% less likely to marry than their lower-earning counterparts.
Forbes framed this as a “revolution of choice,” where women are leveraging their earning power to live independently rather than pooling resources through marriage.
However, not all perspectives agree on the implications of this trend.
A Washington Post opinion piece from February 2025 cautioned that the decline in marriage could exacerbate social isolation and economic inequality in the long term, particularly for those without the means to thrive solo.
The author argued that while autonomy is empowering for some, others might be opting out of marriage due to a lack of viable partners or disillusionment with modern dating—a point echoed in posts found on X, where users have debated the role of cultural shifts like online dating fatigue in this phenomenon.
The Guardian, in a March 2025 feature, took a more global lens, comparing the U.S. trend to similar patterns in Europe and Asia.
It noted that American women’s rejection of marriage mirrors a broader Western movement toward individualism, though the U.S. stands out for its stark generational divide.
Younger women, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are driving the change, with only 20% of 25-to-34-year-olds married today compared to 40% in 1990, per the article’s reference to U.S. government data.
What emerges from these reports is a complex picture: American women are not simply “giving up” on marriage in a passive sense but are actively redefining it as one option among many.
The Wall Street Journal’s initial framing has been fleshed out by other outlets, revealing a blend of empowerment, pragmatism, and skepticism toward traditional institutions.
While the long-term societal impacts remain uncertain, the consensus across sources is clear—marriage, once a cornerstone of American life, is losing its grip on women’s futures.
