Marriage is America's #1 weapon against childhood poverty. This presentation details the impact of marriage on the probability of child poverty in Indiana.

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

2. Growth of Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing in Indiana, 1929–2010
Throughout most of Indiana’s PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
history, out-of-wedlock childbear-
ing was rare. 50%
When the federal government’s 43.0%
War on Poverty began in 1964,
only 5.4 percent of children in 40%
Indiana were born out of wedlock.
However, over the next four
decades, the number rose rapidly.
By 2010, more than four out of 10 30%
births in Indiana occurred outside
of marriage.
20%
Note: Initiated by President Lyndon
Johnson in 1964, the War on Poverty
led to the creation of more than three 10%
dozen welfare programs to aid poor
persons. Government has spent $16.7
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 2010
Statistics.
Chart 1 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

3. Death of Marriage in Indiana, 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 100%
side of the out-of-wedlock birth
rate.
Through most of the 20th cen-
tury, marital births were the norm
in Indiana. In 1964, more than 94
percent of births occurred to mar- 80%
ried couples.
However, in the mid-1960s, the
marital birth rate began to fall
steadily. By 2010, only 57 percent
of births in Indiana occurred to
married couples. 60%
57.0%
Note: In any given year, the sum of the
out-of-wedlock birth rate (Chart 1)
and the marital birth rate (Chart 2)
equals 100 percent of all births.
40%
Sources: U.S. Government, U.S. Census
Bureau, and National Center for Health 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Statistics.
Chart 2 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

4. In Indiana, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 85 Percent
The rapid rise in out-of-wedlock PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE POOR
childbearing is a major cause of 50%
high levels of child poverty in
Indiana.
Some 39.4 percent of single 39.4%
40%
mothers with children are poor
compared to 6.1 percent of mar-
ried couples with children.
Single-parent families with 30%
children are more than six 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 6.1%
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
Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

5. One-Third of All Families with Children in Indiana Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
two-thirds of families with
children in Indiana. More than
one-third are single-parent
families.
Unmarried
Families
33.5%
Married
Families
66.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

6. In Indiana, 74 Percent of Poor Families with Children Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in Indiana, 74 percent are
not married. By contrast, only
one-quarter of poor families with
children are headed by married
couples. Married
Families
25.8%
Unmarried
Families
74.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 5 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

7. In Indiana, 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 percent of out-
of-wedlock births in Indiana occur Under
to girls under age 18. Age 18:
By contrast, some 78 percent of 7.1%
out-of-wedlock births occur to
Age
young adult women between the 30–54:
ages of 18 and 29. 14.5% Age
18–19:
15.4%
Age
25–29:
22.1%
Age
20–24:
40.9%
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 Indiana heritage.org

8. Less-Educated Women in Indiana 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%
7.6% Unmarried
difficulty supporting children by
90%
Mothers
themselves: those with low levels
of education. 39.0%
80%
In Indiana, among women who 56.9%
are high school dropouts, more 70%
68.7%
than two-thirds of all births occur 60%
outside marriage. Among women
who have only a high school 50%
Married
diploma, more than half of all 92.4%
40% Mothers
births occur outside marriage. By 61.0%
contrast, among women with at 30%
least a college degree, only 8 per- 43.1%
cent of births are out of wedlock. 20%
31.3%
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 7 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

9. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective in Reducing
Child Poverty in Indiana
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
couple is compared to single par-
60%
59.9%
ents with the same education level.
For example, in Indiana, the 50%
poverty rate for a single mother
who has only a high school 40% 39.1%
diploma is 39.1 percent, but the 34.0%
poverty rate for a married-couple 30%
family headed by an individual 22.5%
who, similarly, has only a high 20%
school degree is far lower at 6.9
percent. 10% 6.9% 8.6%
5.8%
On average, marriage drops the 1.7%
poverty rate by around 77 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 8 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

10. Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in Indiana
Out-of-wedlock childbearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies considerably by race.
90%
In 2008 (the most recent year
for which racial breakdown is 8.3% 79.5%
80%
available), more than one in three
births (43.3 percent) in Indiana
occurred outside marriage. The 70%
rate was lowest among non-
Hispanic whites at over one in 60% 57.5%
three births (36.8 percent).
Among Hispanics, well over half 50%
of births were out-of-wedlock. 43.3%
Among blacks eight out of 10 40% 36.8%
births were to unmarried women
(79.5 percent). 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
Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

11. Growth of Unwed Childbearing by Race in Indiana, 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 79.5%
1964, the rates for both whites and 70%
blacks were comparatively low.
In 1964, not even one in 10 (3.7 60% Hispanic
percent) white children was born 57.5%
outside marriage. By 2008, the 50%
number had risen to more than
one in three (36.8 percent). 40% White Non-
Hispanic
In 1964, about one in four black 36.8%
children (25.8 percent) was born 30%
outside marriage. By 2008, the
number had risen to more than 20%
three in every four (79.5 percent).
10%
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 10 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

12. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in Indiana
In Indiana in 2008, some 74.5 ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
percent of all births occurred to
non-Hispanic whites, 9.6 percent
occurred to Hispanics, and 11.8
percent occurred to non-Hispanic
blacks.
Because blacks and Hispanics
are more likely to have children 74.5% White Non- 64.9%
without being married, they Hispanic
account for a disproportionately
large share of all out-of-wedlock
births. Even so, the largest number
of unwed births are to white non-
Hispanic women.
In Indiana in 2008, 64.9 percent
of all non-marital births were to
non-Hispanic whites, 12.8 percent 21.6%
were to Hispanics, and 21.6 per- Black Non-
11.8%
cent were to black non-Hispanic Hispanic
women.
9.6% Hispanic 12.8%
2.1% Asian/Other 0.7%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.
Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

13. Non-Married White Families Are Eight Times More Likely
to Be Poor in Indiana
Marriage leads to lower pov- PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
erty rates for whites, blacks, and
Hispanics.
30%
For example, in 2009, the pov- 27.5%
erty rate for married white families
in Indiana was 3.4 percent. But the 25%
poverty rate for non-married white
families was more than eight times
higher at 27.5 percent. 20%
15%
10%
5% 3.4%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

14. Non-Married Black Families Are Nearly Six Times More Likely
to Be Poor in Indiana
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in Indiana
was 6.8 percent, while the poverty
45%
rate for non-married black families
was nearly six times higher at 39.8 39.8%
40%
percent.
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
6.8%
5%
0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Married Families Non-Married Families
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 13 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

15. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Nearly Three Times More Likely
to Be Poor in Indiana
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in
Indiana was 16 percent, while the
50%
poverty rate among non-married
families was nearly three times 43.9%
higher at 43.9 percent.
40%
30%
20%
16%
10%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 14 • Marriage and Poverty in Indiana heritage.org

16. 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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