Nuclear families in drastic decline in cities as suburbs become 'marriage gardens': IFS study

A new report has revealed the areas of the United States that are considered marriage and married-family deserts, where traditional nuclear families are a minority of households. The report from the Institute for Family Studies found that urban centers and parts of the Southeast are the largest of these desert areas. 

The Institute for Family Studies looked at Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs), which are described as “geographic units that generally contain 100,000 to 200,000 individuals each.” 

Among householders between the ages of 15 and 64, higher marriage rates were seen in suburban “marriage gardens” over major city centers that were “marriage deserts.” The PUMA with the lowest percentage of married householders was Detroit City (South Central and Southeast) in Michigan, at just 13 percent.

Rounding out the bottom 10 were: Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee Central (WI); Cleveland City (East) and Bratenahl Village (OH); District of Columbia (East, DC); St. Louis City North (MO); Columbus (Central), and Grandview Heights Cities (OH); Atlanta Regional Commission, Fulton County (Central) and Southwest Atlanta City (GA); Cincinnati City in Central Ohio; Boston City (Alston, Brighton and Fenway); Chicago City (South) (Hyde Park, Grand Boulevard, Woodlawn, Douglas, and Kenwood).

The bottom 10 ranged from 13 percent seen in Detroit to 17 percent seen in Chicago. In contrast, the highest marriage gardens saw around three-quarters of householders married. 

As for households with children, in the top married-family deserts only around 18 percent to 26 percent of these households are headed by married couples. For those in married-family gardens, that figure rises to between 86 and 89 percent. 

The PUMA with the lowest percentage of households with children that are led by a married couple is Cleveland City (East) and Bratenahl Village (OH), at 18 percent.

Rounding out the bottom 10 for married family-led households with children were District of Columbia (East, DC); Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee Central (WI); Detroit City (South Central and Southeast); Chicago City (South) (Roseland, Chatham, West Pullman, Calumet Heights, and Avalon Park); Atlanta Regional Commission, Fulton County (Central) and Southwest Atlanta City (GA); Chicago City (West) (Austin, North Lawndale, and East/West Garfield Park) (IL); St Louis City (North) (MO); Detroit City (North Central) (MI); KIPDA Area Development District (Central) (Louisville/Jefferson Co) (KY).

The Institute for Family Studies found that the top marriage garden in the US was Fort Bend County in Texas, at 79 percent married.

Ken Burchfiel, a research fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, told Fox News, “Marriage and raising kids are both parts of your life that really force you to kind of die to yourself and live for others.” He added, “When you have lots of parents, lots of husbands and wives in a region, I imagine just overall the cultural focus is less on 'how can I get ahead in life' and more on 'what can I do for my family?’”