This document discusses marriage and child poverty in Georgia. It provides data showing that the percentage of children born out of wedlock in Georgia increased dramatically from 10% in the late 1950s to 45.8% in 2010. Unmarried families are over five times more likely to be in poverty than married families. While unwed births are often associated with teenage births, only 8% of unwed births in Georgia are to girls under 18. Less educated women are more likely to have children out of wedlock. Marriage is an effective way to reduce child poverty for all races in Georgia. The document proposes three steps to promote marriage such as providing information on its benefits and reducing disincentives in welfare programs.

1. Marriage:
Georgia’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 Georgia, 1929–2010
Throughout most of Georgia’s PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
history, out-of-wedlock childbear-
ing was rare. 50%
In the late 1950s, before the 45.8%
federal government began the War
on Poverty, only 10 percent of 40.8%
40%
children in Georgia were born
outside marriage. However, over
the next five decades, the number
rose rapidly. By 2010, 45.8 percent 30%
of births in Georgia occurred
outside of marriage.
Note: Data on non-marital births in 20% Georgia
Georgia are unavailable between 1959 National
and 1979. However, all states that do
have data for this period show a rapid
growth in non-marital childbearing 10%
from the mid-1960s on. The Georgia
trend during this period undoubtedly
parallels the national trend shown in
the chart.
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 Georgia heritage.org

3. In Georgia, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 82 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
Georgia.
Some 37.8 percent of single
mothers with children were poor 40% 37.8%
compared to 7 percent of married
couples with children.
Single-parent families with 30%
children are more than five 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 7.0%
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
Chart 2 • Marriage and Poverty in Georgia heritage.org

4. More than One-Third of All Families with Children in Georgia
Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
less than two-thirds of families
with children in Georgia. Well
over one-third are single-parent
families.
Unmarried
Families
36.2%
Married
Families
63.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in Georgia heritage.org

5. In Georgia, 74 Percent of Poor Families with Children Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in Georgia, three-quarters
are not married. By contrast, only
one-quarter of poor families with
children are headed by married
couples. Married
Families
26.3%
Unmarried
Families
73.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in Georgia heritage.org

6. In Georgia, 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 8 percent of out-
of-wedlock births in Georgia Under
occur to girls under age 18. Age 18:
By contrast, some 75 percent of 8.2%
out-of-wedlock births occur to Age
young adult women between the 30–54:
ages of 18 and 29. 16.6% Age
18–19:
14.6%
Age
25–29:
22.9%
Age
20–24:
37.7%
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 Georgia heritage.org

7. Less-Educated Women in Georgia 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%
difficulty supporting children by Unmarried
10.8% Mothers
themselves: those with low levels 90%
of education. 39.8%
80%
In Georgia, among women who 58.5%
are high school dropouts, more 70%
than two-thirds of all births occur 69.4%
60%
outside marriage. Among women
who have only a high school 50%
Married
diploma, 59 percent of all births 89.3%
40% Mothers
occur outside marriage. By con- 60.2%
trast, among women with at least a 30%
college degree, only 11 percent of 41.5%
births are out of wedlock. 20%
30.6%
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 Georgia heritage.org

8. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective in Reducing
Child Poverty in Georgia
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
61.8%
couple is compared to single par- 60%
ents with the same education level.
For example, in Georgia, the 50%
poverty rate for a single mother 40.7%
who has only a high school 40%
diploma is 40.7 percent, but the
30.4%
poverty rate for a married couple 30%
family headed by an individual 23.6%
who, similarly, has only a high 20%
school degree is far lower at 8.7
8.7% 10.7%
percent. 10%
4.3%
On average, marriage drops the 1.6%
poverty rate by around 78 percent 0%
High School High School Some College
among families with the same
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 Georgia heritage.org

9. Unwed Births Rates Vary Strongly by Race in Georgia
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 8.3% 70.2%
available), more than four in ten 70%
births (45.4 percent) in Georgia
occurred outside marriage. The 60%
rate was lowest among non-
Hispanic whites at more than one 50.9%
50%
in four births (26.9 percent). 45.4%
Among Hispanics, more than half
of births were out-of-wedlock. 40%
Among blacks, seven out of 10
births were to unmarried women 30% 26.9%
(70.2 percent).
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 Georgia heritage.org

10. Growth of Unwed Childbearing by Race in Georgia, 1934–2008
Historically, out-of-wedlock child- PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
bearing has been somewhat more
frequent among blacks than among 80%
whites. However, prior to the onset of
the federal government’s War on Poverty
in the 1960s, the rates for both whites 70% 70.2%
and blacks were comparatively low.
In the late 1950s, 2 percent of white Georgia –
children in Georgia were born outside 60% Blacks
marriage. By 2008, the number had National –
risen to more than one in four (26.9 Blacks
percent). 50%
In the late 1950s, one-quarter of black Georgia –
children in Georgia were born outside Whites
marriage. By 2008, the number had 40%
risen to about seven in every ten (70.2 National –
percent). Whites
30%
26.9%
Note: Data on non-marital births in
Georgia are unavailable between 1959 and 20%
1979. However, all states that do have data
for this period show a rapid growth in
non-marital childbearing from the mid- 10%
1960s on. The Georgia trend during this
period undoubtedly parallels the national
trend shown in the chart. 0%
Sources: U.S. Government, U.S. Census Bureau, 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2008
and National Center for Health Statistics.
Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in Georgia heritage.org

11. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in Georgia
In Georgia in 2008, some 43.5
percent of all births occurred to ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
non-Hispanic whites, 17.6 percent
occurred to Hispanics, and 33
percent occurred to non-Hispanic
blacks. 25.8%
White Non-
Because blacks and Hispanics 43.5%
are more likely to have children Hispanic
without being married, they
account for a disproportionately
large share of all out-of-wedlock
births. Even so, the largest number
of unwed births are to black non- 50.9%
Hispanic women. Black Non-
In Georgia in 2008, 25.8 percent 33.0% Hispanic
of all non-marital births were to
non-Hispanic whites, 19.7 percent
were to Hispanics, and 50.9 per-
cent were to black non-Hispanic
women. 17.6% Hispanic 19.7%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and 5.9% Asian/Other 3.6%
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.
Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in Georgia heritage.org

12. Non-Married White Families Are Six Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Georgia
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, and His-
panics.
25%
For example, in 2009, the pov- 22.5%
erty rate for married white families
in Georgia was 3.8 percent. But
the poverty rate for non-married 20%
white families was about six times
higher at 22.5 percent.
15%
10%
5% 3.8%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in Georgia heritage.org

13. Non-Married Black Families Are More than Five Times More Likely
to Be Poor in Georgia
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in Georgia
was 6.2 percent, while the poverty
40%
rate for non-married black families
was more than five times higher at 34.9%
34.9 percent. 35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
6.2%
5%
0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Ameri- Married Families Non-Married Families
can Community Survey, 2007–2009
data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in Georgia heritage.org

14. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are More than Twice as Likely
to Be Poor in Georgia
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in
Georgia was 20.4 percent, while
50%
the poverty rate among non-
45.1%
married families was more than
twice as high at 45.1 percent.
40%
30%
20.4%
20%
10%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 13 • Marriage and Poverty in Georgia heritage.org

15. 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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