1. Marriage:
California’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 California, 1980–2010
In 2010, a record 40.5 percent PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
of children in California were born
outside marriage. By contrast, in 50%
1980, 21 percent of children in the
state were born outside marriage.
The non-marital birth rate in the
state has risen substantially over 40% 40.5%
the last three decades.
California is unusual as it has no
data on non-marital births before
1980. However, all states that do 30%
have data for the earlier period National
show rates which parallel the
national trend displayed in the California
chart. In these states, the non- 20%
marital birth rates remained very
low until the onset of the federal
War on Poverty in the mid-1960s,
and then began to rise steadily. 10%
The California unwed birth rate
before 1979 very likely parallels
the overall national trend.
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 California heritage.org

3. In California, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 74 Percent
The rapid rise in out-of- PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE POOR
wedlock childbearing is a major 35%
cause of high levels of child pov- 32.5%
erty in California.
30%
Some 32.5 percent of single
mothers with children were poor
compared to 8.4 percent of mar- 25%
ried couples with children.
Single-parent families with 20%
children are four times more likely
to be poor than families in which
the parents are married. 15%
The higher poverty rate among
single-mother families is due both 10% 8.4%
to the lower education levels of
the mothers and the lower income
5%
due to the absence of the father.
0%
Single-Parent, Married,Two-Parent
Female-Headed Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Families
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 2 • Marriage and Poverty in California heritage.org

4. In California, One-Third of All Families with Children Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
about two-thirds of families with
children in California. One-third
are single-parent families.
Unmarried
Families
31.6%
Married
Families
68.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in California heritage.org

5. In California, 61 Percent of Poor Families with Children Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in California, about six in
ten are not married. By contrast,
only 39 percent of poor families
with children are headed by
married couples.
Married
Families
Unmarried 39.0%
Families
61.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in California heritage.org

6. In California, 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 7.4 percent of
out-of-wedlock births in Califor- Under
nia occur to girls under age 18. Age 18:
By contrast, some 70 percent of 7.4%
out-of-wedlock births occur to
young adult women between the
ages of 18 and 29. Age Age
30–54: 18–19:
22.6% 12.8%
Age
25–29: Age
23.9% 20–24:
33.3%
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 California 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 greatest 100%
7.7% Unmarried
difficulty supporting children by
90%
Mothers
themselves: those with low levels
of education. 36.6%
80%
In California, among women 50.9%
who are high school dropouts, 70%
61.0%
about 61 percent of all births 60%
occur outside marriage. Among 92.3 % Married
women who have only a high 50% Mothers
school diploma, about half of all
births occur outside marriage. By 40%
63.4%
contrast, among women with at 30%
least a college degree, only 7.7 49.1%
percent of births are out of wed- 20%
39.0%
lock.
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.
Chart 6 • Marriage and Poverty in California heritage.org

8. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective in Reducing Child
Poverty in California
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. 60%
This is true even when the married
couple is compared to single par- 50.7%
ents with the same education level. 50%
For example, in California, the
poverty rate for a single mother 40%
who has only a high school 33.6%
diploma is 33.6 percent, but the 30%
poverty rate for a married couple 23.4% 23.3%
family headed by an individual
20%
who, similarly, has only a high
school degree is far lower at 10.3 10.3%
10%
9.7%
percent.
4.7%
On average, marriage drops the 2.1%
poverty rate by around 70 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 7 • Marriage and Poverty in California heritage.org

9. Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in California
Out-of-wedlock childbearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies considerably by race.
80%
In 2008 (the most recent year
for which racial breakdown is
available), over four in ten births 70% 68.0%
(40.2 percent) in California
occurred outside marriage. 60%
The rate was lowest among 51.6%
white non-Hispanics. Among that 50%
group about one in four births
were non-marital. 40.2%
40%
Among Hispanics, about half of
births were to unmarried women. 30%
Among black non-Hispanics, 24.1%
about seven in ten births (68
percent) were out-of-wedlock. 20%
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 California heritage.org

10. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in California
In California in 2008, some 52.1 ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
percent of all births occurred to
Hispanics, 27.5 percent occurred
to white non-Hispanics, 12.6
percent occurred to Asians, and
5.8 percent occurred to black
non-Hispanic women.
52.1% Hispanic 67.0%
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.
In California in 2008, 67 percent
of all non-marital births were to 27.5%
Hispanics, 16.5 percent were to White Non-
non-Hispanic white women, and Hispanic 16.5%
9.8 percent were to black non-
Hispanic women. Only 4.8 percent 12.6% Asian/ 4.8%
Pacific Islander
of unmarried births occurred to
Asian women. Black Non-Hispanic 9.8%
5.8%
2.0% American 1.9%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Indian/Other
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.
Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in California heritage.org

11. Non-Married White Families Are Six Times More Likely to Be Poor
in California
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, and His-
panics.
18%
For example, in 2009, the pov-
erty rate for married white families 16% 15.6%
in California was 2.6 percent. But
the poverty rate for non-married 14%
white families was six times higher
at 15.6 percent. 12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2.6%
2%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in California heritage.org

12. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Three Times More Likely to Be Poor
in California
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in Cali-
fornia was 12 percent, while the
35%
poverty rate among non-married 33.0%
families was nearly three times
higher at 33 percent. 30%
25%
20%
15%
12.0%
10%
5%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in California heritage.org

13. Non-Married Black Families Are Five Times More Likely to Be Poor
in California
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in Califor-
nia was 5.4 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%
5.4%
5%
0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Married Families Non-Married Families
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in California 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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