found only 28.1 per 1,000 unmarried women tied the knot in 2020, compared to 76.5 per 1,000 in 1970. In 2021, the rate was even lower — 28 per 1,000.are a leading cause of divorce," says Creighton University law professor Victoria Haneman. "The data we have shows Millennials are choosing cohabitation."t extensively. She says although research has not found a definite link between rising student loan debt and declining marriage rates, debt is definitely on the minds of daters.
Many student loan plans are income-based, meaning monthly payments can rise dramatically with marriage. Future repayments will be based on two incomes instead of one.