{"id":357027,"date":"2026-08-12T10:57:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T14:57:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?post_type=short-read&p=357027"},"modified":"2026-08-20T09:55:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T13:55:24","slug":"most-us-adults-have-lived-with-a-romantic-partner-theyre-not-married-to-by-their-early-40s","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2026\/08\/12\/most-us-adults-have-lived-with-a-romantic-partner-theyre-not-married-to-by-their-early-40s\/","title":{"rendered":"Most U.S. adults have lived with a romantic partner they\u2019re not married to by their early 40s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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(AleksandarNakic\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s common for adults in the United States to live with a romantic partner they\u2019re not married to \u2013 what demographers call cohabitation<\/em>. Around three-quarters of Americans in their late 30s or early 40s have done this at some point in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, there are demographic differences in these cohabitation experiences, including whether living with a romantic partner ultimately leads to marriage. For example, adults with a bachelor\u2019s degree are more likely than those without one to ultimately marry a cohabiting partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More about this data<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The NLSY97 is a nationally representative panel study<\/em> of Americans born between 1980 and 1984. The study began in 1997, when participants were 12 to 17 years old. It has interviewed these same individuals every year or two and is still ongoing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the advantages of a panel?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A panel study follows the same people over time and allows researchers to track changes in their lives. Because participants report on their relationships and living situations every year or two, this data is likely more accurate than asking people in their late 30s or early 40s to remember every relationship they have had throughout their lives.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

To better understand cohabitation in the U.S., we analyzed data from a Bureau of Labor Statistics study known as the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997<\/a>, or NLSY97. This study has followed the same people since 1997 \u2013 when they were 12 to 17 years old \u2013 and asks about topics including their romantic partners, living arrangements and marital status. The latest round of surveys was conducted in 2023, when participants were 38 to 43 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some key facts from our analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 2019: <\/em><\/strong>Why people get married or move in with a partner<\/em><\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About this research<\/summary>\n

This Pew Research Center analysis looks at cohabitation \u2013 that is, living with an unmarried partner \u2013 among adults who were ages 38 to 43 in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pew Research Center does research to help the public, the media and decision-makers understand important topics. This analysis is part of our ongoing effort to study families and relationships<\/a> in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This analysis includes findings from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 Cohort<\/a> (NLYS97), a nationally representative panel study of people born between 1980 and 1984 who were living in the United States in 1997. The NLSY97 is fielded by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The microdata files used for this analysis come from the National Longitudinal Survey Investigator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We use the NLSY97 because it collects detailed information about respondents\u2019 marriages and partners they have lived with over time. At each interview, conducted every year or two, respondents report the months they started and ended their cohabitations. Because these details are collected regularly throughout adulthood, they are likely to be more accurate than asking people to remember all their past unmarried partnerships when they are in their late 30s or early 40s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analyses are limited to adults who responded in 2023, the most recent wave. Interviews were conducted from September 2023 to September 2024. For respondents surveyed in 2023, we use information available through their interview month. For those surveyed in 2024, we use information available through December 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparisons are tested for statistical significance using 2023 survey weights. These tests for statistical significance are conducted using 95% confidence intervals.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

About three-quarters (77%) of adults ages 38 to 43 have lived with an unmarried romantic partner at some point in their lives, including 37% who have lived with two or more different people.<\/strong> These figures vary by education. For example, 82% of adults with a high school diploma or less education have lived with an unmarried partner, compared with 70% of those with a bachelor\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The number of cohabiting partners Americans have lived with varies by education<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
% of adults ages 38 to 43 in 2023 who have lived with ___ cohabiting partner(s)<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\"Chart\"<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Note: Cohabitation refers to living with an unmarried partner. Figures may not add to subtotals due to rounding. Education categories reflect the highest attainment by ages 38 to 43. \u201cSome college\u201d includes those with an associate degree and those who attended college but did not obtain a degree. White and Black adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race. Data for Asian adults and other racial and ethnic groups is included in the total but not shown separately due to small sample size.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 cohort, 1997-2023.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Share this chart<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t