61%
2024 (latest)
MARRIAGE IS VERY HAPPY
percent of married adults who say their marriage is very happy · 1973–2024 · higher is better · computed from NORC General Social Survey (cumulative file 1972–2024)
68%
1973
69%
high · 1974
56%
low · 1985
−7.1 pts
since 1973
┊ dashed lines mark 1979 Oil shock & inflation peak · 1987 Black Monday crash · 1991 Gulf War recession · 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Method & caveats. Taking all things together, how would you describe your marriage? Would you say that your marriage is very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy? NORC General Social Survey cumulative file, computed here from the public microdata: weighted (WTSSPS, NORC's post-stratification weight available for every year 1972–2024) share of valid responses. 2021 moved to a push-to-web design during the pandemic and 2022/2024 are mixed-mode; NORC advises caution comparing 2021+ with the in-person years, so treat 2021 as a seam. Years with fewer than 200 weighted responses are dropped. Breaks: 2021 web-mode transition; ballot rotation gaps.
Sources
Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:
- https://gss.norc.org/get-the-data/stata.html
- https://gss.norc.org/content/dam/gss/get-the-data/documents/stata/GSS_stata.zip
- https://github.com/danielmiessler/substrate/tree/main/Data/US-Societal-Health
Data
| Year | Marriage Is Very Happy | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 61% | +0.4 pts |
| 2022 | 60% | −0.3 pts |
| 2021 | 61% | −3.3 pts |
| 2018 | 64% | +3.5 pts |
| 2016 | 61% | +0.1 pts |
| 2014 | 60% | −5.0 pts |
| 2012 | 65% | +3.3 pts |
| 2010 | 62% | −0.1 pts |
| 2008 | 62% | +0.8 pts |
| 2006 | 61% | +0.6 pts |
| 2004 | 61% | +1.0 pts |
| 2002 | 60% | −2.9 pts |
| 2000 | 63% | −1.0 pts |
| 1998 | 64% | +2.0 pts |
| 1996 | 62% | +1.2 pts |
| 1994 | 61% | −0.2 pts |
| 1993 | 61% | −3.0 pts |
| 1991 | 64% | −1.1 pts |
| 1990 | 65% | +4.6 pts |
| 1989 | 60% | −1.6 pts |
| 1988 | 62% | −4.2 pts |
| 1987 | 66% | +2.6 pts |
| 1986 | 63% | +7.6 pts |
| 1985 | 56% | −10 pts |
| 1984 | 66% | +2.4 pts |
| 1983 | 64% | −1.2 pts |
| 1982 | 65% | −3.6 pts |
| 1980 | 68% | +3.6 pts |
| 1978 | 65% | −1.4 pts |
| 1977 | 66% | −0.2 pts |
| 1976 | 66% | −1.8 pts |
| 1975 | 68% | −0.8 pts |
| 1974 | 69% | +1.1 pts |
| 1973 | 68% | — |
Also in Happiness & Outlook