NEW JERSEY HEALTH STATISTICS, 2004

MARRIAGES, DIVORCES, AND DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS

OVERVIEW

The number of marriages in New Jersey declined 0.8% from 2003 to 2004, while the number of divorces decreased 5.2%. Between 1984 and 2004, the ratio of marriages to population fell 31% while that for divorce decreased 21% (Table MD1 and Figure MD1).

MARRIAGES

Age

The median ages of all brides and grooms, including first-time brides and grooms, have changed little over the past few years. The median ages of brides and grooms in 2004 were 29.8 and 32.2 years, respectively; a four year increase over 1984. The median ages of first-time brides and grooms in 2004 were 27.6 and 29.4 years, respectively; three years older than in 1984 (Table MD2 and Figure MD2). The proportion of first-time brides and grooms who were less than 25 years of age or who were less than 20 years of age has been stable recently. Between 1984 and 2004, however, the proportion of first-time brides and grooms under the age of 25 decreased over 50% and the proportion under 20 years of age decreased over 60% (Table MD3 and Figure MD3).

Brides were younger than grooms in 64% of marriages. In about one-quarter of marriages, brides were older than grooms. Age differences were more likely and, on average, were larger in marriages where one or both participants had been married before. For example, in nearly three-quarters of first marriages, the bride and groom were within five years of each other in age. This was true in fewer than half of marriages in which the bride or groom or both had been previously married. There was an age difference of ten or more years in 6% of first marriages compared to 23% of marriages in which one or both participants had been married before (Table MD6).

Previous marital status

The proportion of brides who were marrying for the first time rose slightly between 2003 and 2004 to 72.7%, while among grooms this proportion declined somewhat to 70.8%. Among both brides and grooms in 2004, about one quarter had a previous marriage which ended in divorce (Table MD4 and Figure MD4).

First time brides are likely to marry first time grooms. For example, more than 80% of first time brides married a groom who had not been previously married. Among divorced brides, nearly half married a divorced groom. Yet widows were more likely to marry divorced men than widowed men, reflecting gender differences in both age at marriage and life expectancy (Table MD7 and Figure MD5).

Month

October was the most popular month for marriages in 2004 (12.0%), followed by June (10.7%), August (10.6%), September (10.5%), July (10.5%), and May (10.3%). January remained the least popular month for marriages (4.2%) (Table MD8).

County

Marriage ratios are calculated based on the resident population of the area where the marriage occurred. Cape May County continued to have the highest marriage ratio in 2004 (11.7 per 1,000 population) while Bergen and Essex Counties had the most marriages (4,887 and 4,752, respectively) (Table MD9).

DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS

Background

Domestic partnership became effective on July 10, 2004 ( P.L.2003, c.246. and BVS). Couples wishing to register a domestic partnership must be same sex couples at least 18 years of age or opposite sex couples who are both 62 years of age or older. Couples must meet the following requirements:

• Share a common residence in New Jersey or any other jurisdiction provided that at least one of the applicants is a member of a New Jersey State-administered retirement system;
• Both persons are jointly responsible for each other’s common welfare as evidenced by joint financial arrangements or joint ownership of real or personal property;
• Both persons agree to be jointly responsible for each other’s basic living expenses during the domestic partnership;
• Neither applicant is in a marriage recognized by New Jersey law or is a member of another domestic partnership;
• Neither person is related to the other by blood or affinity up to and including the fourth degree of consanguinity;
• Neither applicant has terminated another domestic partnership within the last 180 days. (This prohibition shall not apply when the previous partnership ended due to the death of the other partner).

Overview

There were 1,665 female-female, 1,116 male-male, and 45 male-female partnerships registered in New Jersey in 2004 (Table MD14). One partnership was dissolved in 2004 (NJJ).

Age

The median ages of partners at time of registration were 45.6 years for female-female partners, 46.8 years for male-male partners, and 69.0 years for male-female partners. About 40% of same sex partners were in their 40s at the time of registration (Table MD10 and Figure MD6).

Previous marital status

Registration date

More than half of domestic partnerships registered in 2004 occurred in July (Table MD15 and Figure MD9). On the first day partnerships became effective, 479 were registered. The following Monday, 199 were registered, 105 on Tuesday, and 151 the following Friday. Registrations tapered off substantially after the first week.

County

There were 43.2 domestic partnerships registered per 100,000 residents over the age of 18 years in New Jersey in 2004. The ratio was 48.8 for female-female partnerships and 35.6 for male-male partnerships. There were 3.4 male-female domestic partnerships per 100,000 residents aged 62 and over (Table MD16).

Among counties with enough registrations to calculate a reliable ratio, domestic partnership ratios ranged from 18.1 in Passaic County to 94.0 in Hunterdon County . Female-female partnership ratios ranged from 20.4 in Passaic to 100.0 in Hunterdon County . Male-male partnership ratios ranged from 15.5 in Passaic to 85.6 in Hunterdon County . Essex County registered the most female-female (216) and male-male (174) partnerships while Salem County registered the fewest (8 and 4, respectively). Monmouth County registered the most male-female partnerships (9) while four counties did not register any (Table MD16).

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