Living Together Before Marriage Doesn’t Mean Divorce

As reported by the New York Daily News, living together before marriage doesn’t significantly raise likelihood of divorce. A new report from the National Center for Health Statistics, based on the National Survey of Family Growth, indicates that living together before marriage doesn’t necessarily increase the risk of divorce. However, those who get engaged or married before cohabitating are still slightly more likely to stay together.

Although traditional beliefs and past studies posit the importance of waiting to cohabitate, this new study indicates that approximately 55% of couples who cohabitate before marriage last for an entire decade of marriage. Conversely, 65% of couples who waited to cohabitate until they were engaged or married lasted for 10 years.

However, the authors of the study stress that its not cohabitation that is key – it’s the nature of the commitment. Couples who choose to cohabitate either premaritally or postmaritally are most likely to make it last when they enter into cohabitation with a clear vision for their committed future together.