1. Marriage:
Nebraska’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 • 2012
Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society

2. Growth of Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing in Nebraska, 1929–2010
Throughout most of Nebraska’s PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
history, out-of-wedlock childbear-
ing was rare. 50%
In 1968, just four years after the
federal government began the War
on Poverty, only 7.2 percent of 40.8%
40%
children in Nebraska were born
outside marriage. However, over
the next five decades, the number 33.6%
rose rapidly. By 2010, 33.6 percent 30%
of births in Nebraska occurred
outside of marriage. National
Nebraska
20%
Note: Data on non-marital births in
Nebraska are unavailable between
1940 and 1967. However, all states that
do have data for this period show a
rapid growth in non-marital childbear- 10%
ing from the mid-1960s on. The
Nebraska trend during this period
undoubtedly parallels the national trend
shown in the chart.
0%
Sources: U.S. Government, U.S. Census
Bureau, and National Center for Health 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Statistics.
Chart 1 • Marriage and Poverty in Nebraska heritage.org

3. In Nebraska, Marriage Drops the Probability of Child Poverty
by 86 Percent
The rapid rise in out-of-wedlock PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE POOR
childbearing is a major cause of 40%
high levels of child poverty in 36.4%
Nebraska.
35%
Some 36.4 percent of single
mothers with children were poor 30%
compared to 5.2 percent of mar-
ried couples with children.
25%
Single-parent families with
children are seven times more
20%
likely to be poor than families in
which the parents are married.
15%
The higher poverty rate among
single-mother families is due both
10%
to the lower education levels of
the mothers and the lower income 5.2%
due to the absence of the father. 5%
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 Nebraska heritage.org

4. In Nebraska, Three in Ten Families with Children Are Not Married
Overall, married couples head
about seven in ten families with
children in Nebraska. Nearly three
in ten are single-parent families.
Unmarried
Families
29.1%
Married
Families
70.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 3 • Marriage and Poverty in Nebraska heritage.org

5. In Nebraska, 72 Percent of Poor Families with Children Are Not Married
Among poor families with
children in Nebraska, seven in ten
are not married. By contrast, only
28.4 percent of poor families with
children are headed by married
couples. Married
Families
28.4%
Unmarried
Families
71.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 4 • Marriage and Poverty in Nebraska heritage.org

6. In Nebraska, 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 7.2 percent of
out-of-wedlock births in Nebraska Under
occur to girls under age 18. Age 18:
7.2%
By contrast, some 79 percent of
out-of-wedlock births occur to Age
young adult women between the 30–54:
ages of 18 and 29. 14.3% Age
18–19:
14.9%
Age
25–29:
23.0%
Age
20–24:
40.6%
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 Nebraska 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% Unmarried
difficulty supporting children by 5.3%
Mothers
themselves: those with low levels 90%
of education. 33.1%
80%
In Nebraska, among women 54.0%
who are high school dropouts, 70%
61.7%
about 61.7 percent of all births 60%
occur outside marriage. Among 94.7% Married
women who have only a high 50% Mothers
school diploma, well over half of
all births occur outside marriage. 40%
66.9%
By contrast, among women with at 30%
least a college degree, only 5.3 46.0%
percent of births are out of wed- 20%
38.3%
lock.
10%
0%
High School High School Some College Mother’s
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Dropout Graduate College Graduate education
Human Services, Centers for Disease (0–11 (12 (13–15 (16+ level
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS Years) Years) Years) Years)
data.
Chart 6 • Marriage and Poverty in Nebraska heritage.org

8. Both Marriage and Education Are Highly Effective
in Reducing Child Poverty in Nebraska
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
ARE POOR Married
cally lower than the rate for house- of the Head of Household
holds headed by single parents. 60%
This is true even when the married 56.2%
couple is compared to single par-
ents with the same education level. 50%
For example, in Nebraska, the 41.0%
poverty rate for a single mother 40%
who has only a high school 31.2%
diploma is 41 percent, but the 30%
poverty rate for a married couple
family headed by an individual 19.7%
20%
who, similarly, has only a high
school degree is far lower at 6.6 10.6%
percent. 10% 6.6%
3.9%
On average, marriage drops the 1.3%
poverty rate by around 81 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 Nebraska heritage.org

9. Unwed Birth Rates Vary Strongly by Race in Nebraska
Out-of-wedlock childbearing PERCENT OF BIRTHS THAT ARE OUT OF WEDLOCK
varies considerably by race.
80%
In 2008 (the most recent year
for which racial breakdown is 8.3%
available), more than one in three 70% 68.3%
births (33.9 percent) in Nebraska
occurred outside marriage. The 60%
rate was lowest among non-
Hispanic whites at over one in 50.4%
50%
four births (27 percent). Among
Hispanics, half of births were out
of wedlock. Among blacks, more 40%
than two in every three births were 33.9%
to unmarried women (68.3 per- 30% 27.0%
cent).
20%
10%
0%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Centers for Disease All Races White Hispanic Black
Control and Prevention, 2008 NHS Non- Non-
data. Hispanic Hispanic
Chart 8 • Marriage and Poverty in Nebraska heritage.org

10. Racial Composition of All Births and Out-of-Wedlock Births in Nebraska
In Nebraska in 2008, some 73.8 ALL BIRTHS OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS
percent of all births occurred to
non-Hispanic whites, 15.8 percent
occurred to Hispanics, and 6.5
percent occurred to non-Hispanic
blacks.
Because blacks and Hispanics
are more likely to have children
without being married, they
73.8% White Non- 58.8%
account for disproportionately
Hispanic
larger shares of all out-of-wedlock
births. Even so, the largest number
of unwed births were to white
non-Hispanic women.
In Nebraska in 2008, 58.8 per-
cent of all non-marital births were 23.6%
to non-Hispanic whites, 23.6
percent were to Hispanic women, Hispanic
15.8%
and 13.1 percent were to black Black Non-
non-Hispanic women. Hispanic 13.1%
6.5%
3.9% Asian/Other 4.5%
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 Nebraska heritage.org

11. Non-Married White Families Are Eight Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Nebraska
Marriage leads to lower poverty PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
rates for whites, blacks, and His-
panics.
25%
For example, in 2009, the pov- 22.9%
erty rate for married white families
in Nebraska was 2.9 percent. But
the poverty rate for non-married 20%
white families was nearly eight
times higher at 22.9 percent.
15%
10%
5%
2.9%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 10 • Marriage and Poverty in Nebraska heritage.org

12. Non-Married Black Families Are Four Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Nebraska
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
married black couples in Nebraska
was 12.8 percent, while the pov-
50%
erty rate for non-married black 45.4%
families was nearly four times 45%
higher at 45.4 percent.
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15% 12.8%
10%
5%
0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Married Families Non-Married Families
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 11 • Marriage and Poverty in Nebraska heritage.org

13. Non-Married Hispanic Families Are Four Times More Likely to Be Poor
in Nebraska
In 2009, the poverty rate for PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE POOR
Hispanic married families in
Nebraska was 12.6 percent, while
50%
the poverty rate among non-
married families was nearly four 45%
44.3%
times higher at 44.3 percent.
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15% 12.6%
10%
5%
0%
Married Families Non-Married Families
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American
Community Survey, 2007–2009 data.
Chart 12 • Marriage and Poverty in Nebraska heritage.org

14. 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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