Note: the objective in presenting this data is not to discourage but so that a good part of the clergy will finally get real and begin helping their people to address these matters from the pulpits and in homes regularly. Because adults and children are hurting out here. Or we must all, from Popes to priests to the people, accept the consequences.
Ezekiel 34
34 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ho, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild beasts. 6 My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.
7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As I live, says the Lord God, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep; 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them…”
The Data
Chat GPT: Overall, *heterosexual (different-sex) marriages are generally declining or stable at historically low levels in many parts of the world in 2025, rather than increasing — especially when viewed in long-term context. However, there is variation by region and demographic:
Long-Term Trend: Decline or Stabilization
1. U.S. and Other Developed Countries
In the U.S., long-term data show that the share of adults who are married has fallen sharply compared with past decades, with marriage occurring later in life and fewer people marrying overall. This long-term decline continues into 2025.
Although the refined marriage rate in the U.S. was roughly stable from 2022 to 2024, it remains at much lower levels than decades ago and reflects delayed or less frequent marriage overall.
Bowling Green State University
2. Cohabitation and Changing Family Structures
Cohabitation (people living together without marriage) has increased, and many younger adults postpone or forego formal marriage in favor of cohabiting relationships.
Penn Wharton Budget Model
3. Global Context
Global marriage prevalence in 2025 averages around about 56–57% of adults married, with big regional differences. This broad figure suggests that marriage remains common in some regions (e.g., South Asia and Africa) but is lower in many developed countries.
Geo Factbook Country-Specific Data
China
China experienced a dramatic drop in total marriages in 2024 — down about 20%, a record low — reflecting broader demographic and cultural shifts. While this doesn’t separate heterosexual from other marriages, the vast majority in China are different-sex, so the overall drop points to fewer heterosexual marriages there.
The Guardian
Australia
Recent Australian data did show a slight rise in total marriages in 2024 (marriage numbers up ~2% vs. 2023). But this includes increases in both same-sex and different-sex marriages, and the context is short-term rather than a reversal of long-term decline.
Herald Sun
Takeaway
Heterosexual marriages are not broadly increasing on a long-term scale in 2025; in many developed countries they continue to be flat or declining compared with historical norms.
Short-term variations (like a small bump in one country’s annual figures) can occur, but the overall pattern is fewer people marrying, later in life, and more people cohabiting without formal marriage.
The global average rate of marriage remains moderate, but this masks large regional differences.
Geo Factbook
If you’re curious about specific countries (e.g., U.S. vs. Europe vs. Asia), I can break down the trend for those areas too!
Divorce
United States Divorce Trends in 2025
Overall Divorce Rate
The U.S. crude divorce rate in 2025 is around ~2.5–2.6 divorces per 1,000 people, continuing a long decline from about 4.0 per 1,000 in 2000.
Forbes +1
This represents fewer divorces per capita than in past decades, even though many marriages still end in divorce at some point.
How Common Divorce Is Over a Marriage
It’s more accurate to talk about the share of marriages that eventually end rather than the annual rate:
About 33–40% of first marriages eventually end in divorce in the U.S. as of 2025 estimates.
Imudia Law +1
Second and third marriages have higher dissolution rates (e.g., ~60–73% for later marriages).
Forbes
Marriage-to-Divorce Ratio
In 2024 (latest detailed data), there were about 2.4 marriages for every divorce in the U.S., slightly higher than in recent years — meaning marriages still outnumber divorces.
Bowling Green State University
Trends Over Time
Divorce rates peaked decades ago and declined steadily through the 2000s and 2010s.
Census.gov
Recent small rebounds or stability (e.g., 2023–2025) reflect normalization after pandemic disruptions, not a long-term increase.
Lawyer Writes
Global & Regional Notes (2025)
China
While not focused solely on divorce, data from 2024/2025 show divorces rising slightly even as marriage rates plummet, pointing to ongoing social change in family structures.
The Guardian
Other Countries
Divorce rate dynamics vary widely internationally. Some regions (e.g., parts of Europe and North America) have higher divorce ratios relative to marriages, while others (much of Asia and parts of Africa) have lower rates — influenced by culture, religion, and law. (For broader global rankings you can look at global statistics sources or comparative reports.)
Key Takeaways for 2025
✅ In the U.S., divorce rates remain lower than in past decades and have been generally falling or stable at lower levels.
✅ Roughly one-third to two-fifths of first marriages eventually end in divorce.
✅ Marriage still far outpaces divorce annually in the U.S., with over twice as many marriages as divorces.
✅ Divergent regional trends (e.g., China’s rising divorces vs falling marriages) show that family patterns vary globally.
Forbes +1
Imudia Law
Bowling Green State University
The Guardian
If you want, I can also break these trends down by age group, gender, or country, or explain what’s driving these changes (economic factors, education, cultural shifts, etc.).
And same sex relationships?
Same-Sex Marriage: Increasing Prevalence
Growth Over the Last Decade
In the United States, the number of married same-sex couples has more than doubled since the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized nationwide marriage equality. As of mid-2025, there are about 820,000+ married same-sex couples in the U.S. — up from ~390,000 in 2015.
Williams Institute +1
Same-sex couples make up a small share of total marriages (about 1.3% of all married couples).
Pew Research Center
Marriage vs. Cohabitation
A majority (~59–60%) of cohabiting same-sex couples in the U.S. are legally married, a share that’s increased over time.
Williams Institute
The number of households headed by same-sex couples continues to climb, reflecting both married and cohabiting partnerships.
Pew Research Center
Global Legal Landscape
Same-sex marriage is recognized in 30+ countries and territories worldwide, particularly across Western Europe, the Americas, and some parts of Latin America and Asia/Pacific.
Pew Research Center
In some countries like Thailand, same-sex marriage laws came into force in 2025, with thousands of couples marrying right away — signaling expanding legal recognition in new regions.
Le Monde.fr
Divorce Among Same-Sex Couples
U.S. Same-Sex Divorce Trends
Divorce rates for same-sex couples in the U.S. are generally lower than for different-sex couples on an annual basis (around ~1% per year for same-sex compared with ~2% for heterosexual couples).
Sci-Tech Today
Patterns vary by gender: female same-sex marriages tend to have higher dissolution rates than male same-sex or heterosexual marriages, a pattern seen in U.S. and some European data.
Sci-Tech Today
International Patterns
In countries with long histories of marriage equality (like the Netherlands, Sweden, UK), studies show higher divorce rates among lesbian couples compared with gay male couples and sometimes compared with heterosexual couples — but these patterns differ by location and cohort.
Sci-Tech Today
Key Takeaways for 2025
Same-Sex Marriages Are Increasing
In absolute terms, the number of same-sex marriages is growing, especially in places where legal recognition has been in place for many years.
Williams Institute
This growth is partly due to increasing social acceptance and expanded legal rights over the past decade.
Pew Research Center
Still Small Relative to Different-Sex Marriages
Even with growth, same-sex marriages represent a small fraction of all marriages in the U.S. and around the world.
Pew Research Center
Divorce Patterns Vary
Same-sex divorce rates are not dramatically higher overall and can be lower in some contexts, but female same-sex marriages often show higher separation rates than male same-sex marriages.
Sci-Tech Today
Legal Context Still Evolving
New legal recognitions (e.g., Thailand) and emerging debates (court and legislative challenges in some U.S. states) show the legal landscape around same-sex marriage is dynamic in 2025. �
Catholic Critique 