This document discusses the relationship between marriage and childhood poverty in Alaska. It provides statistics showing that the percentage of children born out of wedlock in Alaska has risen sharply since the 1960s, from 5.8% to 37.6% in 2010. Unmarried families are much more likely to live in poverty, with single mothers nearly 8 times as likely to be poor compared to married couples. Promoting marriage is presented as an effective way to reduce childhood poverty in Alaska.

1. Marriage:
Alaska’s No. 1 Weapon
Against
Childhood Poverty
How the Collapse of Marriage Hurts Children
and Three Steps to Reverse the Damage
A Heritage Foundation Book of Charts • January 2012
Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society

2. Growth of Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing in Alaska, 1959–2010
Throughout most of Alaska’s PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
history, out-of-wedlock childbear-
ing was rare. 50%
In 1964, after the federal gov-
ernment began the War on Pov-
erty, only 5.8 percent of children 40.8%
in Alaska were born outside mar- 40%
riage. However, over the next five 37.6%
decades, the number rose rapidly.
By 2010, 37.6 percent of births in
Alaska occurred outside of mar- 30%
riage.
National
Note: Data on non-marital births in Alaska
Alaska are unavailable before 1959. 20%
However, all states that do have data
for earlier years show low levels of
non-marital childbearing with little
increase prior to the mid-1960s.The
Alaska rate before 1959 undoubtedly 10%
parallels the national trend shown in
the chart. In the mid-1960s out-of-
wedlock childbearing began increasing
rapidly in all states.
0%
Sources: U.S. Government, U.S. Census
Bureau, and National Center for 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Health Statistics.
Chart 1 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

3. In Alaska, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 87 Percent
The rapid rise in out-of-wedlock PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE POOR
childbearing is a major cause of 30%
high levels of child poverty in
Alaska. 25.8%
Some 25.8 percent of single
mothers with children are poor
compared to 3.4 percent of mar-
ried couples with children. 20%
Single-parent families with
children are nearly eight times
more likely to be poor than fami-
lies in which the parents are mar-
ried.
10%
The higher poverty rate among
single-mother families is due both
to the lower education levels of 3.4%
the mothers and the lower income
due to the absence of the father.
0%
Single-Parent, Married,Two-Parent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Female-Headed Families
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data. Families
Chart 2 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

4. In Alaska, One-Third of All Families with Children Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
two-thirds of families with
children in Alaska. One-third are
single-parent families.
Unmarried
Families
33.6%
Married
Families
66.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

5. In Alaska, 77 Percent of Poor Families with Children Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in Alaska, about
three-quarters are not married. By
contrast, only 23 percent of poor
families with children are headed
by married couples. Married
Families
23%
Unmarried
Families
77%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

6. In Alaska, Few Unwed Births Occur to Teenagers
Out-of-wedlock births are often PERCENTAGE OF OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
confused erroneously with teen BY AGE OF MOTHER
births, but only 6.7 percent of
out-of-wedlock births in Alaska Under
occur to girls under age 18. Age 18:
By contrast, some 78 percent of 6.7%
out-of-wedlock births occur to
Age
young adult women between the 30–54:
ages of 18 and 29. 15.5% Age
18–19:
14.4%
Age
25–29:
23.8% Age
20–24:
39.6%
Note: Figures have been rounded.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data.
Chart 5 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

7. Less-Educated Women Are More Likely to Give Birth
Outside of Marriage
Unwed childbearing occurs PERCENTAGE OF BIRTHS THAT ARE MARITAL
most frequently among the OR OUT OF WEDLOCK
women who will have the greatest 100%
difficulty supporting children by 8.1% Unmarried
themselves: those with low levels 90%
Mothers
of education.
42.0%
In the U.S., among women who 80%
are high school dropouts, about 54.5%
65.2 percent of all births occur 70%
outside marriage. Among women 65.2%
60%
who have only a high school 91.9%
diploma, well over half of all births 50%
occur outside marriage. By con- Married
trast, among women with at least a 40% Mothers
college degree, only 8.1 percent of 58.0%
births are out of wedlock. 30%
45.5%
Note: Specific data on out-of-wedlock 20%
births and maternal education are not 34.8%
available in Alaska. However, the pattern 10%
varies little between states. Alaska data will
be very similar to the national data 0%
presented in this chart. High School High School Some College Mother’s
Dropout Graduate College Graduate education
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease (0–11 (12 (13–15 (16+ level
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS data. Years) Years) Years) Years)
Chart 6 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

8. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective
in Reducing Child Poverty in Alaska
The poverty rate of married PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES Poverty Rate of Families by
couples with children is dramati- WITH CHILDREN THAT Single
Education and Marital Status
cally lower than the rate for house- ARE POOR Married
of the Head of Household
holds headed by single parents. 60%
This is true even when the married
couple is compared to single par-
ents with the same education level. 50% 48.6%
For example, in Alaska, the
poverty rate for a single mother 40%
35.5%
who has only a high school
diploma is 35.5 percent, but the 30%
poverty rate for a married couple
family headed by an individual
20%
who, similarly, has only a high 16.1%
school degree is far lower at 8.2 13.2%
10%
9.8% 8.2%
percent.
On average, marriage drops the 2.1% 0.7%
poverty rate by around 85 percent 0%
among families with the same High School High School Some College
education level. Dropout Graduate College Graduate
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Note: Virtually none of the heads of families in the chart who are high school
Community Survey, 2005–2009 data. dropouts are minor teenagers.
Chart 7 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

9. Unwed Birth Rates Vary by Race in Alaska
Out-of-wedlock childbearing in PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
Alaska varies by race.
80%
In 2008 (the most recent year
for which racial breakdown is 8.3%
available), 37.6 percent of births in 70% 67.9%
Alaska occurred outside marriage.
The rate was lowest among non- 60%
Hispanic whites. Among that
group about one in four births
50% 47.1%
were non-marital.
Among Hispanics, over one in
40% 37.6%
three births were out-of-wedlock. 34.9%
Among blacks, nearly half of
births were to unmarried women. 30%
24.3%
The highest rate was among
native American Indians: nearly 20%
seven in ten births (67.9 percent)
were to unmarried women. 10%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and 0%
Human Services, Centers for Disease All Races White Hispanic Black American
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS Non- Non- Indian/Alaskan
data. Hispanic Hispanic Native
Chart 8 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

10. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in Alaska
In Alaska in 2008, some 56.9 ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
percent of all births occurred to
white non-Hispanic women, 24.5
percent occurred to American
Indians/Alaskan natives, 8 percent
occurred to Asians, and 5.7 per-
cent occurred to Hispanics. 56.9% White Non- 36.8%
Hispanic
Because American Indians/
Alaskan natives are more likely to
have children without being mar-
ried, they account for dispropor-
tionately large share of all out-of-
wedlock births.
In Alaska in 2008, 44.3 percent 44.3%
of all non-marital births were to American
American Indian/Alaskan natives, 24.5% Indian/
36.8 percent were to white non- Alaskan Native
Hispanic women, 7.6 percent were
to Asian women, and 5.3 percent 8.0% Asian/Pacific Islander 7.6%
occurred to Hispanic women. 5.3%
5.7% Hispanic
3.5% Black/Non-Hispanic 4.4%
1.4% Not stated 1.6%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS
data. Note: Figures have been rounded.
Chart 9 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

11. Non-Married White Families Are 15 Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Alaska
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, American Indians,
blacks, and Hispanics.
25%
For example, in 2009, the pov-
erty rate for married white families
in Alaska was 1.2 percent. But the
poverty rate for non-married white 20%
17.9%
families was 15 times higher at
17.9 percent.
15%
10%
5%
1.2%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

12. Non-Married American Indian Families Are Three Times More Likely
to Be Poor in Alaska
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
American Indian and Alaskan
Native married families in Alaska 30%
was 8.9 percent, while the poverty
rate among non-married families
was nearly three times higher at 25%
23.1 percent. 23.1%
20%
15%
10% 8.9%
5%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

13. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are 18 Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Alaska
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in
Alaska was 2.1 percent, while the
45%
poverty rate among non-married
families was 18 times higher at 38.4%
40%
38.4 percent.
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
2.1%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

14. Non-Married Black Families Are Two Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Alaska
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in Alaska
was 3.9 percent, while the poverty
9%
rate for non-married black families 8.2%
was over two times higher at 8.2
8%
percent.
7%
6%
5%
3.9%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Married Families Non-Married Families
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 13 • Marriage and Poverty in Alaska heritage.org

15. Three Steps to Reduce Child Poverty through Marriage
1) Provide information on the benefits of marriage in reducing child poverty
and improving child well-being.
Marriage is a highly effective institution which greatly decreases parental and child
poverty while improving long-term outcomes for children. Conversely, the absence of
marriage greatly increases welfare costs and imposes added burdens on taxpayers.
Unfortunately, almost no information on these topics is available in low-income
communities. This information deficit should be corrected in the following manner:
• Explain the benefits of marriage in middle and high schools with a high
proportion of at-risk youth;
• Create public education campaigns in low-income communities on the
benefits of marriage; and,
• Require federally funded birth control clinics to provide information on the
benefits of marriage and the skills needed to develop stable families to
interested low-income clients.
2) Reduce anti-marriage penalties in means-tested welfare programs.
3) Promote life-goal-planning, marriage-strengthening, and divorce-reduction
programs to increase healthy marriages and reduce divorce and separation.

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