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Indicators of Marriage and Fertility from the American Community Survey: 2000 to 2003

A new analysis looking at links between marriage, fertility and other socioeconomic characteristics was released on October 13, 2005 by the U.S. Census Bureau, providing the first-ever state-by-state analysis of median age at first marriage. The analysis of the multi-year marriage and fertility data from the American Community Survey (ACS) also shows how socioeconomic characteristics such as mother's income, age, work status and language spoken at home are correlated with birth rates.

Estimated Median Age at First Marriage

The estimated median age at first marriage (MAFM) in the United States for 2000-2003 was 26.7 and 25.1 years old for men and women respectively. The MAFM for men and women was higher than the national averages in the Northeast. The MAFM for men and women was lower than the national averages in the Midwest, West and South.

In South Carolina, the MAFM for men was slightly lower than the national average, at 26.4. The MAFM for women was slightly higher than the national average, at 25.2.

Estimated Median Age at First Marriage, 4-Year Average: 2000-2003

	Men	Women
South Carolina	26.4	25.2
United States	26.7	25.1

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2002-2003, Census Supplementary Survey 2000-2001.

View the median age at first marriage for all 50 states

 

Percent of Coupled Households

States in the West and Midwest had a higher percentage of married couples compared with the national average (50.6 percent). Scattered states in the West and the South had a lower percentage of married couples as compared with the national average. States in the West, and a few states in the Northeast had a higher percentage of unmarried partner households than the national average. Most states in the South had a lower percentage of unmarried partner households compared with the national average.

South Carolina's percentage of married couples was lower than the national average, at 50.1 percent. The state's percentage of unmarried partner households was also lower than the national average, at 4.1 percent.

Percent of Coupled Households, 4-Year Average: 2000-2003

Area	Married Couple Households		Unmarried Partner Households
	Percent	Margin of Error 1	Percent	Margin of Error 1
South Carolina	50.1	0.86	4.1	0.54
United States	50.6	.30	5.0	0.20

¹ This figure when added to or subtracted from the estimate provide the 90-percent confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2002-2003, Census Supplementary Survey 2000-2001.

View the percent of coupled households for all 50 states

 

Comparison of ACS and NCHS Fertility Rates

Comparison of ACS and NCHS Fertility Rates, 4-Year Average, 2000-2003

Area	ACS Fertility Rate 1	ACS Fertility Rate Margin of Error 2	NCHS Fertility Rate 3
South Carolina	66.4	6.17	62.4
United States	69.6	0.24	65.5

¹ ACS fertility rates are births in the last year to women aged 15 to 50 years per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 years.

² This figure when added to or subtracted from the estimate provide the 90-percent confidence interval.

³ NCHS fertility rates are births to women of all ages per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2002-2003, Census Supplementary Survey 2000-2001 and National Vital Statistics Reports; Vol. 52, No. 19 and Vol. 53, No.9 Hyattsville, Maryland: NCHS.2004. For more information on ACS and NCHS fertility rates, please visit the U.S. Census Bureau's Indicators of Marriage and Fertility in the United States page.

View the comparison of ACS and NCHS fertility rates for all 50 states

 

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year Who Are Unmarried

For 2000-2003, 29.1 percent of women with a birth in the last year were unmarried in the United States. Most states in the South had a higher percentage of mothers with a birth in the last year who were unmarried compared with the national average. Most states in the West, Midwest and Northeast had lower percentages of mothers with a birth in the last year who were unmarried compared with the national average.

South Carolina had a much higher percentage of births to unmarried mothers than the national average, at 37.2 percent.

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year Who Are Unmarried, 4 - Year Average: 2000-2003

Area	Percent	Margin of Error 1
South Carolina	37.2	1.69
United States	29.1	0.56

¹ This figure when added to or subtracted from the estimate provide the 90-percent confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2002-2003, Census Supplementary Survey 2000-2001.

View the percent of women with a birth in the last year who are unmarried for all 50 states

 

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year Who Are Teenagers

In the United States, 7.7 percent of mothers with a birth in the last year were teenagers. States in the South had a higher percentage of mothers with a birth in the last year who were teenagers compared with the national average. Most states in the Northeast were composed of a lower percentage of mothers who are teenagers compared with the national average.

South Carolina's percentage of mothers with a birth in the last year who were teenagers was higher than the national average, at 10.97 percent.

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year Who Are Teenagers, 4-Year Average: 2000-2003

Area	Percent	Margin of Error 1
South Carolina	10.97	1.25
United States	7.70	0.40

¹ This figure when added to or subtracted from the estimate provide the 90-percent confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2002-2003, Census Supplementary Survey 2000-2001.

View the percent of women with a birth in the last year who are teenagers for all 50 states

 

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year Who Are below the Poverty Level

Among mothers with a birth in the last year in the United States, 23.2 percent were below the poverty level for 2000-2003; 12.2 percent of all married mothers with a birth in the last year were below the poverty level; and half of all unmarried mothers with a birth in the last year were below the poverty level. A higher percentage of married mothers with a birth in the last year who live in the West and South were below the poverty level compared with the national average. Married mothers with a birth in the last year who live in the Midwest and Northeast had a lower percentage living below the poverty level compared with the national average. Most states in the South, and some states in the West had a higher percentage of unmarried mothers with a birth in the last year who were below the poverty level compared with the national a verage. No distinct geographical patterns were found among the lower percentage of unmarried mothers with a birth in the last year who were below the poverty level compared with the national average.

In South Carolina, the percentage of all mothers with a birth in the last year who were below the poverty level was above the national average, at 24.0 percent. Married mothers with a birth in the last year were also more likely to be below poverty, at 14.4 percent. Unmarried mothers with a birth in the last year who were below poverty were below the national average, at 44.4 percent.

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year Who Are Below the Poverty Level, 4-Year Average: 2000-2003

Area	All Women		Married Women		Unmarried Women
	Percent	Margin of Error 1	Percent	Margin of Error 1	Percent	Margin of Error 1
South Carolina	24.0	1.64	14.4	1.63	44.4	2.27
United States	23.2	0.56	12.2	0.54	50.0	0.83

¹ This figure when added to or subtracted from the estimate provide the 90-percent confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2002-2003, Census Supplementary Survey 2000-2001.

View the percent of women with a birth in the last year who are below the poverty level for all 50 states

 

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year Who Are in the Labor Force

Fifty-six percent of all mothers with a birth in the last year were in the labor force for 2000-2003; 54.4 percent of all married mothers with a birth in the last year were in the labor force; and 60.1 percent of all unmarried mothers with a birth in the last year were in the labor force. Across all groups, mothers with a birth in the last year who lived in the Midwest had higher labor force participation rates than recorded nationally. Across all groups, mothers with a birth in the last year who lived in the West had lower labor force participation rates than recorded nationally.

Across all groups in South Carolina, mothers with a birth in the last year had labor force participation rates higher than the national average.

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year Who Are in the Labor Force, 4-Year Average: 2000-2003

Area	All Women		Married Women		Unmarried Women
	Percent	Margin of Error 1	Percent	Margin of Error 1	Percent	Margin of Error 1
South Carolina	59.2	1.64	55.2	1.92	65.2	2.14
United States	56.1	0.56	54.4	0.64	60.1	0.79

¹ This figure when added to or subtracted from the estimate provide the 90-percent confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2002-2003, Census Supplementary Survey 2000-2001.

View the percent of women with a birth in the last year who are in the labor force for all 50 states

 

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year by Language and Citizenship Indicators

Eight percent of mothers with a birth in the last year in the United States spoke English "not well" or "not at all" for 2000-2003. Fifteen percent of mothers with a birth in the last year were non-citizens. States in the West, Texas, and Illinois had a higher percentage of mothers who spoke English "not well" or "not at all", and were non-citizens compared with the national average. States in the Midwest and South had a lower percentage of mothers who spoke English "not well" or "not at all," and were non-citizens compared with the national average.

South Carolina had a much lower percentage of mothers who spoke English "not well" or "not at all" (1.5 percent) and mothers who were were non-citizens (3.6 percent) compared with the national average.

Percent of Women with a Birth in the Last Year by Language and Citizenship Indicators, 4- Year Average: 2000-2003

Area	Who speak English 'Not well' or 'Not at all'		Who are non-citizens
	Percent	Margin of Error 1	Percent	Margin of Error 1
South Carolina	1.5	0.94	3.6	1.54
United States	8.2	0.51	14.6	0.72

¹ This figure when added to or subtracted from the estimate provide the 90-percent confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2002-2003, Census Supplementary Survey 2000-2001.

View the percent of women with a birth in the last year by language and citizenship indicators for all 50 states