MARRIAGES IN INDIANA: 1995

Highlights

There were 50,628 marriages performed in the State in 1995.
The marriage rate per 1,000 population was 9.1. The rate per 1,000 population age 15 and older was 11.7. The rate per 1,000 unmarried population age 15+ was 28.3.

Brown County (83.1), Steuben County (60.7), and Owen County (48.8) had the highest rates per 1,000 unmarried population age 15+:

The most frequent months for marriages were June, July and September.
- More marriages occured on Saturday (60.6%) than on any other day of the week. However, civil marriages were more likely to occur on Friday, while religious marriages were more likely to occur on Saturday.

Almost 95% of the brides were residents of Indiana while 92% of the grooms were residents of Indiana. For 90.7% of the marriages both the bride and groom were Indiana residents. For another 5.5% of marriages either the bride or the groom was a resident of Indiana. Neither the bride nor the groom were residents for 3.5% of the marriages that occurred in Indiana.

In 89.8% of marriages both the bride and the groom were White. In 5.6% of the marriages both the bride and the groom were Black. Only 1.8% of marriages were interracial (White/Black). In the remaining 2.8% of marriages the race of the bride or groom was other or unknown.

Only 48% of marriages were first marriages for both the bride and the groom. Almost 25% of marriages were subsequent to a divorce for both the bride and the groom. In another 21.6% of marriages, one or the other participant had been previously divorced. In 5% of marriages the bride, the groom, or both had been previously widowed.

Almost 12% of marriages were second marriages for both the bride and the groom; 8% were first marriages for the bride and second marriages for the groom; 8.8% were first marriages for the groom and second marriages for the bride.
In 48% of marriages the bride and the groom were in the same education level category. In 24% of the marriages the bride was in a higher education level category than the groom. In 22% of marriages the groom was in a higher education level category than the bride.

Almost 28% of grooms and almost 31% of brides married between the ages of 20 and 24.

For over 50% of marriages, brides or grooms were between the ages of 20 and 29. In almost 40% of marriages both the bride and the groom were between 20 and 29 years of age.

Marriage rates per 1,000 unmarried population were highest for 25-29 year old brides and grooms.

Previously divorced grooms age 55-64 had higher marriage rates than previously divorced grooms of other ages. Previously divorced brides age 20-24 had higher marriage rates than previously divorced brides of other ages.

Previously widowed brides age 20-24 had a higher marriage rate than previously widowed brides of other ages. Previously widowed grooms age 25-29 had higher marriage rates than previously widowed grooms of other ages.

The average age at marriage for brides and grooms who had never been married before was 23.8 and 25.7 years, respectively.

The average age at marriage for brides and grooms who had been previously divorced was 35.5 and 38.4 years, respectively.

The average age at marriage for brides and grooms who had been widowed was 53.5 and 60.2 years, respectively.

Never married and divorced White brides and grooms married, on the average, 3 to 4 years younger than never married and divorced Black brides and grooms. Previously widowed White brides and grooms married, on the average, 3 years older than previously widowed Black brides and grooms.