Fewer people are getting married, but those who do are less likely to get divorced than their parents were before them.

While many poor and uneducated folks are opting to remain single, often living together and raising children, just the opposite is true for those who have an education and a good job. The difference is that those who are opting for marriage are doing so later, when finances are more secure and with a plan for success. Therefore, the divorce rate is plummeting.

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University of Maryland sociology professor Philip Cohen says the U.S. divorce rate dropped 18 percent from 2008 to 2016. Cohen tells Bloomberg that millennials view marriage differently than did previous generations:

“One of the reasons for the decline is that the married population is getting older and more highly educated. Fewer people are getting married, and those who do are the sort of people who are least likely to get divorced," he said. "Marriage is more and more an achievement of status, rather than something that people do regardless of how they’re doing.”

Many millennials also appear less interested in obtaining debt or suburban lifestyles. Back in the day, we were expected to get married young, have a bunch of kids, accumulate debt and move out to the 'burbs to mow the lawn once a week. Half of us wound up divorced before long. Maybe we didn't have it right after all?

The millennials are paving a new pathway for the future. Its refreshing to watch.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. 

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