Given the importance of marriage in reducing child poverty, the following steps should be undertaken to strengthen marriage in low income communities in Minnesota. 1) Reduce anti-marriage penalties in welfare programs. 2) Create public education campaigns in low-income communities on the benefits of marriage. 3) Require welfare offices to provide factual information on the value of marriage in reducing poverty and welfare dependence. 4) Explain the benefits of marriage in middle and high schools with a high proportion of at-risk youth. 5) 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. 6) Require federally funded birth control clinics to offer voluntary referrals to life planning and marriage skills education to all interested low-income clients. 7) Make voluntary marriage education widely available to interested couples in low-income communities.

1. Marriage:
Minnesota’s No. 1 Weapon
Against
Childhood Poverty
How the Collapse of Marriage Hurts the Nation
and 7 Steps to Reverse the Damage
A Heritage Foundation Book of Charts • 2011
Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society

2. Growth of Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing in Minnesota, 1929–2009
Throughout most of Minnesota PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
history, out-of-wedlock childbear-
ing was rare. 35% 33.5%
When the federal government’s
War on Poverty began in 1964, 30%
only 4.6 percent of children in
Minnesota were born out of wed-
lock. However, over the next four 25%
decades, the number rose rapidly.
By 2009, more than one-third of
all births in Minnesota occurred 20%
outside of marriage.
15%
Note: Initiated by President Lyndon 10%
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 5%
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 2008
Statistics.
Chart 1 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

3. Death of Marriage in Minnesota, 1929–2009
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
century, marital births were the
norm in Minnesota. In 1964, more 90%
than 95 percent of births occurred
to married couples.
However, in the mid-1960s, the
marital birth rate began to fall
steadily. By 2009, only 66.5 80%
percent of births in Minnesota
occurred to married couples.
70%
Note: In any given year, the sum of the
out-of-wedlock birth rate (Chart 1) 66.5%
and the marital birth rate (Chart 2)
equals 100 percent of all births.
60%
Sources: U.S. Government, U.S. Census
Bureau, and National Center for Health 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2008
Statistics.
Chart 2 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

4. In Minnesota, 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 child bearing is a major 50%
cause of high levels of child pov-
erty in Minnesota.
Some 33.2 percent of single
40%
mothers with children were poor
compared to 3.8 percent of mar- 33.2%
ried couples with children.
Single-parent families with 30%
children are nearly nine times
more likely to be poor than fami-
lies in which the parents are mar- 20%
ried.
The higher poverty rate among
single-mother families is due both
10%
to the lower education levels of
the mothers and the lower income 3.8%
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 3 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

5. In Minnesota, Nearly One-Quarter of All Families With Children
Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
three-quarters of families with
children in Minnesota. Nearly
one-quarter are single-parent
families.
Unmarried
Families
22.7%
Married
Families
77.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

6. In Minnesota, 74 Percent of Poor Families with Children
Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in Minnesota, 74 percent
are not married. By contrast,
one-quarter of poor families with
children are headed by married
Married
couples. Families
25.9%
Unmarried
Families
74.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 5 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

7. In Minnesota, 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 percent of out-
of-wedlock births in Minnesota Under
occur to girls under age 18. Age 18:
5.7%
By contrast, some 77 percent of
out-of-wedlock births occur to
Age
young adult women between the 30–54: Age
ages of 18 and 29. 17.3% 18–19:
13.3%
Age
25–29:
25.2% Age
20–24:
38.5%
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 Minnesota heritage.org

8. Less-Educated Women in Minnesota 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%
8.1% Unmarried
porting children by themselves: those
90%
Mothers
with low levels of education.
Nationwide, among women who 37.7%
80%
are high school dropouts, about 54.5%
two-thirds of all births occur outside 70%
65.2%
marriage. Among women who have
60%
only a high school diploma, more 91.9%
than half of all births occur outside 50%
Married
marriage. By contrast, among women Mothers
with at least a college degree, only 8 40%
62.3%
percent of births are out-of-wedlock. 30%
45.5%
Note: Specific data on out-wedlock births 20%
and maternal education are not available in 34.8%
Minnesota. However, the pattern varies 10%
little between states. Minnesota data will
be very similar to the national data 0%
presented in this chart. High School High School Some College Mother’s
Dropout Graduate College Graduate education
Source: U.S. Department of Health and (0–11 (12 (13–15 (16+ level
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS data. Years) Years) Years) Years)
Chart 7 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

9. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective
in Reducing Child Poverty in Minnesota
The poverty rate of married PERCENTAGE OF Poverty Rate of Families by
couples is dramatically lower than FAMILIES THAT Single
Education and Marital Status
the rate for households headed by ARE POOR Married
of the Head of Household
single parents. This is true even 60%
when the married couple is com-
53.4%
pared to single parents with the
same education level. 50%
For example, in Minnesota the
poverty rate for a single mother 40%
who has only a high school
diploma is 29.5 percent, but the 30% 29.5%
poverty rate for a married couple 23.5%
family headed by an individual
20%
who, similarly, has only a high
school degree is far lower at 3.6 13.1%
percent. 10% 8.0%
On average, marriage drops the 3.6% 2.4% 1.1%
poverty rate by around 85 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, 2007–2009 data. dropouts are minor teenagers.
Chart 8 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

10. Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in Minnesota
Out-of-wedlock child bearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies considerably by race.
80%
In 2008, one in three births
(33.3 percent) in Minnesota 8.3%
occurred outside marriage. The 70%
rate was lowest among non- 60.9%
Hispanic whites at over one in 60% 57.9%
four births (26.0 percent). Among
Hispanics, well over half of births
50%
were out-of-wedlock. Among
blacks six out of 10 births were to
unmarried women (60.9 percent). 40%
33.3%
30% 26.0%
20%
10%
0%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and All Races White Hispanic Black
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS Non- Non-
data. Hispanic Hispanic
Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

11. Growth of Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing by Race in Minnesota,
1934–2008
Historically, out-of-wedlock PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
childbearing has been somewhat
80%
more frequent among blacks than
among whites. However, prior to
the onset of the federal 70% Black Non-
government’s War on Poverty in Hispanic
1964, the rates for both whites and 60.9%
60%
blacks were comparatively low. Hispanic
In 1964, one in twenty-five (4.1 57.9%
50%
percent) white children were born
outside marriage. By 2008, the
number had risen to more than 40%
one in four (26.0 percent).
In 1964, more than two in ten 30% White Non-
black children (27.0 percent) were Hispanic
26.0%
born outside marriage. By 2008, 20%
the number had risen to over six
in ten (60.9 percent).
10%
Sources: U.S. Government, U.S. Census 0%
Bureau, and National Center for Health
Statistics. 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2008
Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

12. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births
in Minnesota
In Minnesota in 2008, some 72.8 ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
percent of all births (both marital and
non-marital) occurred to non-
Hispanic whites, 7.9 percent
occurred to Hispanics, and 9.2
percent to non-Hispanic blacks.
Because black and Hispanic people White Non-
are more likely to have children Hispanic 56.8%
without being married, a dispropor-
tionate share of all out-of-wedlock 72.8%
births occur to those groups. None-
theless, the largest number of out-of-
wedlock births still occur to white
non-Hispanic women
In Minnesota in 2008, 56.8 percent 16.8%
of all non-marital births were to Black Non-
non-Hispanic whites, 13.8 percent Hispanic
were to Hispanics, and 16.6 percent 9.2%
13.8%
were to black non-Hispanic women. 7.9% Hispanic
10.1% 12.7%
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 11 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

13. Non-Married White Families Are Ten Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Minnesota
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, and
Hispanics in Minnesota.
25%
For example, in 2009, the
poverty rate for married white
families in Minnesota was 2.1 20.1%
percent. But the poverty rate for 20%
non-married white families was
nearly ten times higher at 20.1
percent. 15%
10%
5%
2.1%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

14. Non-Married Black Families Are Nearly Four Times More Likely
to Be Poor in Minnesota
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in
Minnesota was 12.2 percent, while
50%
the poverty rate for non-married
black families was nearly four 45%
45%
times higher at 45 percent.
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15% 12.2%
10%
5%
0%
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Married Families Non-Married Families
American Community Survey, 2007–
2009 data.
Chart 13 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

15. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Nearly Three Times More Likely
to Be Poor in Minnesota
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in
Minnesota was 14.4 percent, while
50%
the poverty rate among
non-married families was nearly
three times higher at 42.1 percent. 42.1%
40%
30%
20%
14.4%
10%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 14 • Marriage and Poverty in Minnesota heritage.org

16. 7 Steps to Reduce Child Poverty through Marriage
Given the importance of marriage in reducing child poverty, the following steps should
be undertaken to strengthen marriage in low income communities in Minnesota.
1) Reduce anti-marriage penalties in welfare programs.
2) Create public education campaigns in low-income communities on the benefits of
marriage.
3) Require welfare offices to provide factual information on the value of marriage in
reducing poverty and welfare dependence.
4) Explain the benefits of marriage in middle and high schools with a high proportion of
at-risk youth.
5) 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.
6) Require federally funded birth control clinics to offer voluntary referrals to life
planning and marriage skills education to all interested low-income clients.
7) Make voluntary marriage education widely available to interested couples in low-
income communities.

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