1. Marriage:
New York’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 • 2012
Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society

2. Growth of Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing in New York, 1929–2010
In 2010, 42 percent of children in PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
New York were born outside mar-
riage. This is very high by historic 50%
standards. In the 1930s, only two
percent of children in the state were
born outside marriage. By 1980, the 42.0%
number had risen to 24 percent. 40% 40.8%
Unfortunately, data on non-marital
births in New York are unavailable
between 1934 and 1979. However, all
states that have data for this period 30%
New York
show rates which parallel the
National
national trend displayed in the chart.
In these states, the non-marital birth
rates remained low until the onset of 20%
the federal War on Poverty in the
mid-1960s, and then began to rise
steadily. The New York unwed birth
rate between 1934 and 1979 very 10%
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 New York heritage.org

3. In New York, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 81 Percent
The rapid rise in out-of-wedlock PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE POOR
childbearing is a major cause of 40%
high levels of child poverty in 35.9%
New York.
35%
Some 35.9 percent of single
mothers with children are poor 30%
compared to 6.9 percent of mar-
ried couples with children.
25%
Single-parent families with
children are five times more likely
20%
to be poor than families in which
the parents are married.
15%
The higher poverty rate among
single-mother families is due both
10%
to the lower education levels of 6.9%
the mothers and the lower income
due to the absence of the father. 5%
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 New York heritage.org

4. In New York, One-Third of All Families with Children Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
about two-thirds of families with
children in New York. One-third
are single-parent families.
Unmarried
Families
35.7%
Married
Families
64.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in New York heritage.org

5. In New York, 72 Percent of Poor Families with Children Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in New York, seven in ten
are not married. By contrast, only
27.7 percent of poor families with
children are headed by married
couples. Married
Families
27.7%
Unmarried
Families
72.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in New York heritage.org

6. In New York, 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 4.9 percent of
out-of-wedlock births in New York Under
Age 18:
occur to girls under age 18. 4.9%
By contrast, some 69 percent of
out-of-wedlock births occur to
young adult women between the Age
ages of 18 and 29. 18–19:
Age 10.4%
30–54:
26.2%
Age
20–24:
Age 32.4%
25–29:
26.1%
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 New York heritage.org

7. Less-Educated Women Are More Likely to Give Birth
Outside of Marriage
Unwed childbearing occurs PERCENTAGE OF BIRTHS THAT ARE MARITAL
most frequently among the OR OUT OF WEDLOCK
women who will have the great- 100%
est difficulty supporting children Unmarried
11.5% Mothers
by themselves: those with low 90%
levels of education. 43.8%
80%
In New York, among women
70% 54.0%
who are high school dropouts,
about 68.8 percent of all births 68.8%
60%
occur outside marriage. Among 88.5%
women who have only a high 50%
Married
school diploma, nearly 54 per- Mothers
cent of births occur outside 40%
56.2%
marriage. By contrast, among 30%
women with at least a college 46.0%
degree, only 11.5 percent of 20%
31.2%
births are out of wedlock.
10%
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
data. Years) Years) Years) Years)
Chart 6 • Marriage and Poverty in New York heritage.org

8. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective
in Reducing Child Poverty in New York
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. 70%
This is true even when the married
couple is compared to single par- 60%
59.8%
ents with the same education level.
For example, in New York, the 50%
poverty rate for a single mother
who has only a high school 40% 38.2%
diploma is 38.2 percent, but the
poverty rate for a married couple 30% 27.8%
family headed by an individual 23.6%
who, similarly, has only a high 20%
school degree is far lower at 11.4%
10.4 percent. 10.4%
10%
4.7%
On average, marriage drops the 2.1%
poverty rate by around 75 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 New York heritage.org

9. Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in New York
Out-of-wedlock childbearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies by race.
80%
In 2008 (the most recent year
for which racial breakdown is 8.3%
69.5%
available), over four in ten births 70%
65.7%
(41.4 percent) in New York
occurred outside marriage. 60%
The rate was lowest among
white non-Hispanics. Among that 50%
group about one in four births
41.4%
(24.6 percent) were non-marital.
40%
Among Hispanics, about two-
thirds of births were to unmarried 30%
women. Among black non- 24.6%
Hispanics, about seven in ten
births (69.5 percent) were out of 20%
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 New York heritage.org

10. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in New York
In New York in 2008, some 48.2 ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
percent of all births occurred to
non-Hispanic whites, 24 percent
occurred to Hispanics, and 16.1
percent occurred to non-Hispanic 48.2% White Non- 28.7%
blacks. Hispanic
Because blacks and Hispanics
are more likely to have children
without being married, they
account for disproportionately
larger shares of all out-of-wedlock
births. 38.1%
In New York in 2008, 38.1
percent of all non-marital births Hispanic
24.0%
were to Hispanics, 28.7 percent
were to non-Hispanic white
women, and 27.1 percent were to
black non-Hispanic women. 16.1% Black Non- 27.1%
Hispanic
11.7%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Asian/Other 6.1%
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.
Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in New York heritage.org

11. Non-Married White Families Are Five Times More Likely to Be Poor
in New York
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, and His-
panics. 20%
For example, in 2009, the pov- 17.9%
erty rate for married white families 18%
in New York was 3.4 percent. But
16%
the poverty rate for non-married
white families was nearly five 14%
times higher at 17.9 percent.
12%
10%
8%
6%
4% 3.4%
2%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in New York heritage.org

12. Non-Married Black Families Are Five Times More Likely to Be Poor
in New York
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in New
York was 5.9 percent, while the
30% 28.5%
poverty rate for non-married black
families was five times higher at
28.5 percent. 25%
20%
15%
10%
5.9%
5%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in New York heritage.org

13. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Four Times More Likely to Be Poor
in New York
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in New
York was 11.1 percent, while the
45%
poverty rate among non-married
families was nearly four times 39.1%
40%
higher at 39.1 percent.
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
11.1%
10%
5%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in New York 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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