Monthly Vital Statistics Reports

Advance Report of Final Marriage Statistics, 1989 and 1990

Updated statistics on the number and characteristics of marriages are now available in a recent Monthly Vital Statistics Report. Data for both 1989 and 1990 are contained in the report. Data are based on marriage certificates provided to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Data Highlights:

• The total number of marriages recorded in 1990 (2,443,489) represented a 2-percent increase over the number for 1989 (2,403,368). This was the highest number recorded since 1984. Provisional data indicate that the increase in the number was temporary and declined each year from 1991 to 1993.
• First marriage rates were highest for men and women in their mid and late 20's. The median age of previously single women was 24.0 years; for previously single men, the median age was 25.9 years.
• June was the month in which the greatest number of couples married (280,218); and January was the month in which the fewest number of couples married (117,310).