This document discusses marriage and child poverty in Connecticut. It provides statistics showing that the percentage of children born out of wedlock has risen dramatically in Connecticut since World War II. Children living in single-parent households are much more likely to live in poverty compared to children living in married, two-parent households. Specifically, 30.3% of single mothers with children were poor in Connecticut compared to only 2.7% of married couples with children. The document proposes three steps to help reduce child poverty through marriage: providing information on the benefits of marriage, reducing penalties for marriage in welfare programs, and promoting programs to strengthen marriages and reduce divorce.

1. Marriage:
Connecticut’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 Connecticut, 1929–2010
In 2010, 36.5 percent of children PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
in Connecticut were born outside
marriage. Historically, this was 50%
unusual. Throughout most of
Connecticut’s history, out-of-wedlock
childbearing was rare. Before World
War II, only four percent of children 40.8%
40%
in Connecticut, were born outside 36.5%
marriage. By 1980, the number had
risen to 18 percent.
Unfortunately, data on non-marital 30%
births in Connecticut are unavailable
between 1943 and 1979. However, National
all states that have data for this period
had rates which parallel the national Connecticut
trend shown in the chart. In these 20%
states, the non-marital birth rates
remained low until the onset of the
federal War on Poverty in the mid-
1960s, and then began to rise steadily. 10%
The Connecticut unwed birth rate
between 1943 and 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 Connecticut heritage.org

3. In Connecticut, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 91 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-
erty in Connecticut. 30.3%
30%
Some 30.3 percent of single
mothers with children were poor
compared to 2.7 percent of mar- 25%
ried couples with children.
Single-parent families with 20%
children are eleven 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%
to the lower education levels of
the mothers and the lower income
5%
due to the absence of the father. 2.7%
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 Connecticut heritage.org

4. In Connecticut, Three in Ten Families with Children Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
about 70 percent of families with
children in Connecticut. Three in
ten are single-parent families.
Unmarried
Families
30.4%
Married
Families
69.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in Connecticut heritage.org

5. In Connecticut, 81 Percent of Poor Families with Children
Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in Connecticut, 81.4
percent are not married. By
contrast, only 18.6 percent of poor Married
families with children are headed Families
by married couples. 18.6%
Unmarried
Families
81.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in Connecticut heritage.org

6. In Connecticut, 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 5.7 percent of
out-of-wedlock births in Under
Connecticut occur to girls under Age 18:
5.7%
age 18.
By contrast, some 72 percent of
out-of-wedlock births occur to Age
young adult women between the Age 18–19:
ages of 18 and 29. 30–54: 12.1%
22.3%
Age
25–29: Age
24.9% 20–24:
35.0%
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 Connecticut 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%
difficulty supporting children by 8.1% Unmarried
themselves: those with low levels 90%
Mothers
of education. 42.0%
80%
In the U.S., among women who
54.5%
are high school dropouts, about 70%
65.2 percent of all births occur 65.2%
outside marriage. Among women 60%
who have only a high school 91.9%
diploma, well over half of all births 50%
Married
occur outside marriage. By con- 40% Mothers
trast, among women with at least a 58.0%
college degree, only 8.1 percent of 30%
births are out of wedlock. 45.5%
20%
34.8%
Note: Specific data on out-of-wedlock
births and maternal education are not 10%
available in Connecticut. However, the
pattern varies little between states. Con- 0%
necticut data will be very similar to the High School High School Some College Mother’s
national data presented in this chart. Dropout Graduate College Graduate education
(0–11 (12 (13–15 (16+ level
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Years) Years) Years) Years)
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS data.
Chart 6 • Marriage and Poverty in Connecticut heritage.org

8. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective
in Reducing Child Poverty in Connecticut
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% 58.9%
ents with the same education level.
For example, in Connecticut, 50%
the poverty rate for a single
mother who has only a high 40%
school diploma is 30.8 percent,
30.8%
but the poverty rate for a married 30%
couple family headed by an indi-
vidual who, similarly, has only a 20% 19.6%
high school degree is far lower at 14.6%
4.2 percent. 10%
9.8%
4.2% 2.5%
On average, marriage drops the 1.2%
poverty rate by around 84 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 Connecticut heritage.org

9. Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in Connecticut
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 69.8%
available), more than one in three 70%
births in Connecticut occurred 64.2%
outside marriage. The rate was 60%
lowest among whites. Among that
group around one in five births
50%
were non-marital.
Among Hispanics, nearly two in
40% 36.4%
three children were born out-of-
wedlock. Among blacks, seven in
ten births were to unwed mothers. 30%
22.1%
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 8 • Marriage and Poverty in Connecticut heritage.org

10. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births
in Connecticut
In Connecticut in 2008, some ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
59.3 percent of all births occurred
to non-Hispanic whites, 21.5
percent occurred to Hispanics, and
12.7 percent occurred to non-
Hispanic blacks.
59.3% White Non- 36.0%
Because blacks and Hispanics Hispanic
are more likely to have children
without being married, they
account for disproportionately
larger shares of all out-of-wedlock
births.
In Connecticut in 2008, 37.8 37.8%
percent of all non-marital births
were to Hispanic women, 36 Hispanic
percent were to white non- 21.5%
Hispanic women, and 24.4 percent
were to black non-Hispanic
women. 12.7% Black Non- 24.4%
Hispanic
Source: U.S. Department of Health and 6.5% 1.8%
Asian/Other
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.
Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in Connecticut heritage.org

11. Non-Married White Families Are Ten Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Connecticut
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, and His-
panics.
14%
For example, in 2009, the pov- 12.5%
erty rate for married white families
in Connecticut was 1.3 percent. 12%
But the poverty rate for non-
married white families was about 10%
ten times higher at 12.5 percent.
8%
6%
4%
2% 1.3%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in Connecticut heritage.org

12. Non-Married Black Families Are Nine Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Connecticut
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in
Connecticut was 3.2 percent,
35%
while the poverty rate for non-
married black families was nine
times higher at 29.4 percent. 30%
29.4%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5% 3.2%
0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Married Families Non-Married Families
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in Connecticut heritage.org

13. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Five Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Connecticut
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in
Connecticut was 8.5 percent,
50%
while the poverty rate among
non-married families was five 43.7%
times higher at 43.7 percent.
40%
30%
20%
10% 8.5%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in Connecticut 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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