People of different political persuasions are pursuing marriage in the US at noticeably differing rates.

Professor and Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, Brad Wilcox, calls it a “striking ideological divide” and said that it is large and growing.

Sociologist and Demographer, Wendy Wang, of the Institute of Family Studies, examined the rates of marriage of adults between the ages of 18 and 60 using data from the General Social Survey, 1974 -2018.

In 1974, 81% of self-described conservatives were married; 78% of moderates; and 66% of liberals. However, by 2018 the figures showed 59% of conservatives married; 46% of moderates; and 40% of liberals. The last decade in particular showed the rate of marriage among conservatives actually rose two points, while it continued to decline among moderates and liberals, thus widening the gap even further.