Marriage & Poverty: Michigan

Marriage:
Michigan’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

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

When the federal government’s
War on Poverty began in 1964,
only 5.6 percent of children in 41.8%
40%
Michigan were born out of wed-
lock. However, over the next four
decades, the number rose rapidly.
By 2009, over four in ten births in 30%
Michigan 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 1979.
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 Michigan heritage.org

Death of Marriage in Michigan, 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 Michigan. 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 58.2 per-
cent of births in Michigan
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) 58.2%
equals 100 percent of all births.

No data is available for 1979.
50%
Statistics.


In Michigan, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 83 Percent
The rapid rise in out-of- PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE POOR
wedlock childbearing is a major 50%
cause of high levels of child pov-
erty in Michigan.
41.5%
Some 41.5 percent of single
40%
mothers with children were poor
compared to 7 percent of married
couples with children.
Single-parent families with 30%
children are six times more likely
to be poor than families in which
the parents are married. 20%
The higher poverty rate among
single-mother families is due both
to the lower education levels of
10%
the mothers and the lower income 7.0%
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 Michigan, One-Third of All Families with Children Are Not Married

Overall, married couples head
two-thirds of families with
children in Michigan. One-third
are single-parent families.

Unmarried
Families
33.9%
Married
Families
66.1%

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


In Michigan, 74 Percent of Poor Families with Children Are Not Married

Among poor families with
children in Michigan, 74 percent
are not married. By contrast, only
one-quarter of poor families with
children are headed by married
Married
couples. Families
26.5%

Unmarried
Families
73.5%



In Michigan, 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 7.5 percent of
out-of-wedlock births in Michigan Under
occur to girls under age 18. Age 18:
7.5%
By contrast, some 77 percent of
out-of-wedlock births occur to
Age
young adult women between the 30–54:
ages of 18 and 29. 15.8% Age
18–19:
15.5%

Age
25–29:
21.9%
Age
20–24:
39.3%

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 Michigan 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 great- 100%
6.1% Unmarried
est difﬁculty supporting children Mothers
by themselves: those with low 90%
levels of education.
80% 37.4%
In Michigan, among women
who are high school dropouts, 70% 56.5%
about 72.6 percent of all births 60% 72.6%
occur outside marriage. Among
women who have only a high 50% 93.9% Married
school diploma, well over half of Mothers
all births occur outside mar- 40%
riage. By contrast, among 30% 62.6%
women with at least a college
degree, only 6.1 percent of births 20% 43.5%
are out of wedlock. 27.4%
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 Michigan
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 66.1%
couple is compared to single par- 60%
ents with the same education level.
For example, in Michigan, the 50%
poverty rate for a single mother 43.8%
who has only a high school 40%
diploma is 43.8 percent, but the 32.9%
poverty rate for a married couple 30% 27.6%
family headed by an individual
who, similarly, has only a high 20%
school degree is far lower at 9.4 12.0%
percent. 10% 9.4%
5.4%
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.


Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in Michigan
Out-of-wedlock childbearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies considerably by race.
90%
In 2008, more than four in ten
births (40.2 percent) in Michigan 8.3%
80% 78.9%
occurred outside marriage. The
rate was lowest among non-
Hispanic whites at over three in 70%
ten births (30.2 percent). Among
Hispanics, nearly half of births 60%
were out-of-wedlock. Among 49.8%
blacks, nearly eight out of ten 50%
births were to unmarried women 40.2%
(78.9 percent). 40%
30.2%
30%

20%

10%

0%
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 Michigan, 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 78.9%
1964, the rates for both whites and 70%
blacks were comparatively low.
In 1964, around one in thirty 60%
(3.4 percent) white children were Hispanic
born outside marriage. By 2008, 50% 49.8%
the number had risen to nearly
one in three (30.2 percent). 40%
In 1964, over two in ten black White Non-
children (22.46 percent) were 30% Hispanic
born outside marriage. By 2008, 30.2%
the number had risen to over 20%
nearly eight in ten (78.9 percent).
10%
Note: No data is available for 1979.
0%
Statistics.


Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in Michigan
In Michigan in 2008, some 69.8 ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
percent of all births occurred to
non-Hispanic whites, 18.5 percent
occurred to non-Hispanic blacks,
and 7.3 percent occurred to
Hispanics.
Because blacks and Hispanics 69.8% White Non- 52.5%
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 white non-
Hispanic women.
In Michigan in 2008, 52.5 per-
cent of all non-marital births were
to non-Hispanic whites, 36.4
percent were to black non- 18.5% Black Non- 36.4%
Hispanic women, and 9.1 percent Hispanic
were to Hispanics.
7.3% Hispanic 9.1%
4.4% Asian/Other 2.0%
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.


Non-Married White Families Are Nearly Seven Times More Likely
to Be Poor in Michigan
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, and His-
panics in Michigan.
30%
For example, in 2009, the pov- 26.5%
erty rate for married white families
in Michigan was 3.9 percent. But 25%
the poverty rate for non-married
white families was nearly seven
times higher at 26.5 percent. 20%

15%

10%

5%
3.9%

0%
Married Families Non-Married Families


Non-Married Black Families Are Four Times More Likely
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in
Michigan was 10.2 percent, while
50%
the poverty rate for non-married
black families was four times 45%
higher at 40.9 percent. 40.9%
40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%
10.2%
10%

5%

0%


Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Three Times More Likely
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in
Michigan was 14.1 percent, while
60%
the poverty rate among non-
married families was more than
three times higher at 46.7 percent. 50% 46.7%

40%

30%

20%
14.1%

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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