Marriage Reduces Child Poverty 87% in Pennsylvania

Marriage:
Pennsylvania’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

Growth of Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing in Pennsylvania, 1929–2010
Throughout most of PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
Pennsylvania’s history, out-of-
wedlock childbearing was rare. 50%

When the federal government’s
War on Poverty began in 1964,
only 5.9 percent of children in 41.7%
40%
Pennsylvania were born out of
wedlock. However, over the next
four decades, the number rose
rapidly. By 2010, over four in ten 30%
births in Pennsylvania occurred
outside of marriage.

Note: Initiated by President Lyndon 20%
Johnson in 1963, the War on Poverty
led to the creation of more than three
dozen welfare programs to aid poor
persons. Government has spent $16.7 10%
trillion on means-tested aid to the poor
since 1964.

No data is available for 1949.
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 Pennsylvania heritage.org

Death of Marriage in Pennsylvania 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 90%
in Pennsylvania. In 1964, more
than 94 percent of births occurred
to married couples.
However, in the mid-1960s, the 80%
marital birth rate began to fall
steadily. By 2010, only 58.3 per-
cent of births in Pennsylvania
occurred to married couples. 70%

Note: In any given year, the sum of the
out-of-wedlock birth rate (Chart 1) 60%
and the marital birth rate (Chart 2) 58.3%
equals 100 percent of all births.

No data is available for 1949.
50%
Statistics.


In Pennsylvania, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 87 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
poverty in Pennsylvania.
37.1%
Some 37.1 percent of single
mothers with children were 30%
poor compared to 4.8 percent of
married couples with children.
Single-parent families with
children are nearly eight times
20%
more likely to be poor than
families in which the parents are
married.
The higher poverty rate
10%
among single-mother families is 4.8%
due both to the lower education
levels of the mothers and the
lower income 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


In Pennsylvania, One-Third of All Families with Children
Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
two-thirds of families with
children in Pennsylvania.
One-third are single-parent
families.

Unmarried
Families
32.7%
Married
Families
67.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.


In Pennsylvania, 77 Percent of Poor Families with Children
Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in Pennsylvania, 77
percent are not married. By
contrast, less than one-quarter of
poor families with children are Married
headed by married couples. Families
23.1%

Unmarried
Families
76.9%



In Pennsylvania, 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 7.1 percent of
out-of-wedlock births in Pennsyl- Under
vania occur to girls under age 18. Age 18:
7.1%
By contrast, some 76 percent of
out-of-wedlock births occur to
Age
young adult women between the 30–54:
ages of 18 and 29. 16.7% Age
18–19:
14.3%

Age
25–29:
23.2%
Age
20–24:
38.7%

Note: Figures have been rounded.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data.


Less-Educated Women in Pennsylvania 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 greatest 100%
8.1% Unmarried
difﬁculty supporting children by Mothers
themselves: those with low levels 90%
of education.
80% 42.0%
In Pennsylvania, among women
who are high school dropouts, 70% 60.7%
about 69.1 percent of all births 60% 69.1%
occur outside marriage. Among
women who have only a high 50% 91.9% Married
school diploma, 60.7 percent of all Mothers
births occur outside marriage. By 40%
contrast, among women with at 30% 58.0%
least a college degree, only 8.1
percent of births are out of wed- 20% 39.3%
lock. 30.9%
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 Years) Years) Years) Years)
data.


Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective in Reducing
Child Poverty in Pennsylvania
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 house- ARE POOR Married
of the Head of Household
holds headed by single parents. 70%
This is true even when the married 63.4%
couple is compared to single par- 60%
ents with the same education level.
For example, in Pennsylvania, 50%
the poverty rate for a single
mother who has only a high 40% 38.3%
school diploma is 38.3 percent,
but the poverty rate for a married 30% 28.4%
couple family headed by an indi-
vidual who, similarly, has only a 20% 19.3%
high school degree is far lower at
6.9 percent. 10% 9.4%
6.9%
On average, marriage drops the 3.7%
1.4%
poverty rate by around 81 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.


Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in Pennsylvania
Out-of-wedlock childbearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies considerably by race.
90%
In 2008, more than four in en
(40.8 percent) births in Pennsylva- 8.3%
80% 78.0%
nia occurred outside marriage.
The rate was lowest among non-
Hispanic whites at over three in 70% 66.4%
ten births (30.9 percent). Among
Hispanics, two-thirds of births 60%
were out-of-wedlock. Among
blacks, nearly eight out of ten 50%
births were to unmarried women 40.8%
(78 percent). 40%
30.9%
30%

20%

10%

0%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease All Races White Hispanic Black
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS Non- Non-
data. Hispanic Hispanic


Growth of Unwed Childbearing by Race in Pennsylvania, 1934–2008
Historically, out-of-wedlock PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
childbearing has been somewhat
more frequent among blacks than 90%
among whites. However, prior to Black Non-
the onset of the federal 80% Hispanic
government’s War on Poverty in 78.0%
1964, the rates for both whites and 70% Hispanic
blacks were comparatively low. 66.4%
In 1964, around one in thirty 60%
(3.2 percent) white children were
born outside marriage. By 2008, 50%
the number had risen to three in
ten (30.9 percent). 40%
In 1964, only one in four black White Non-
children (26.8 percent) were born 30% Hispanic
outside marriage. By 2008, the 30.9%
number had risen to over three in 20%
four (78 percent).
10%
Note: No data is available for 1949.
0%
Statistics.


Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births
in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania in 2008, some ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
70.9 percent of all births occurred
to non-Hispanic whites, 14.5
percent occurred to non-Hispanic
blacks, and 9.4 percent occurred
to Hispanics.
Because blacks and Hispanics
are more likely to have children
without being married, they 70.9% White Non- 53.7%
account for a disproportionately Hispanic
large share of all out-of-wedlock
births. Even so, the largest number
of unwed births are to white non-
Hispanic women.
In Pennsylvania in 2008, 53.7
percent of all non-marital births 27.7%
were to non-Hispanic whites, 27.7 Black Non-
percent were to black non- 14.5% Hispanic
Hispanic women, and 15.2 percent
were to Hispanics. 9.4% Hispanic 15.2%

Source: U.S. Department of Health and 5.2% Asian/Other 3.4%
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.


Non-Married White Families Are Seven Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Pennsylvania
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, and His-
panics in Pennsylvania.
25%
For example, in 2009, the pov-
erty rate for married white families 21.3%
in Pennsylvania was 2.9 percent.
But the poverty rate for non- 20%
married white families was over
seven times higher at 21.3 percent.
15%

10%

5%
2.9%

0%
Married Families Non-Married Families


Non-Married Black Families Are Four Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Pennsylvania
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in
Pennsylvania was 8.2 percent,
40%
while the poverty rate for non-
35.7%
married black families was four
times higher at 35.7 percent.

30%

20%

10% 8.2%

0%
Community Survey, 2007– 2009 data.


Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Three Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Pennsylvania
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in
Pennsylvania was 14 percent,
60%
while the poverty rate among
non-married families was well
over three times higher at 50 50.0%
50%
percent.

40%

30%

20%
14.0%

10%

0%


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.

The Family & Religion Initiative is one of 10 Transformational Initiatives making up The Heritage
Foundation’s Leadership for America campaign. For more products and information related to this initiative
or to learn more about the Leadership for America campaign, please visit heritage.org.

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ernment, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.
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As policy entrepreneurs, we believe the most effective solutions are consistent with those ideas and values.

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Marriage Reduces Child Poverty 87% in Pennsylvania

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