Cohabitation Doesn’t Mean Divorce

by Sarah

This week brings one more study to prove something we already know: living together before marriage doesn’t mean you’re going to get divorced. You may be thinking “duh” — when you live together you gain an understanding of what your life would be like together - but until now research didn’t support what common sense suggests. Studies from the ’80s and ’90s showed that couples that shacked up before wedded bliss were more likely to split up.

According to new census data out this week (via USA Today), almost 10% of opposite-sex couples living together in the United States are unmarried; in 1995 it was only 5%. Studies from universities across the U.S. have shown some pretty interesting stats about these couples: If you’ve lived with more than one boyfriend over the years you’re more likely to get divorced than if you only moved in with hubby-to-be. And a yet-to-be-published study suggests that women who share a home with their future spouse are less likely to divorce than those who never lived with anyone at all.

Moving in with a boyfriend is pretty common, however 26% of USA Today’s poll participants thought living together before marriage was “living in sin.” Forty-three percent thought it was “perfectly acceptable.”

Thinking about moving in? Check out Tango’s Moving-In-Together Survival Guide and read The Truth About Moving in Together to find out if you can handle the heat. And one more tip: don’t worry about divorce.