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Valentine's Day report: seven ways marriage is changing

It seems Valentine's Day, when 10 percent of all marriage proposals take place, is one of the few constants in the institution of marriage. Here are seven ways marriage has changed from 50 years ago, when marriage was between a man and a woman barely into their twenties, of the same race and social class, till death did them part.

4. Cohabiting vs. marriage

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Kentucky state Sen. Kathy Stein speaks on Feb. 25, 2009, against a bill that would prohibit adoption by an applicant 'cohabiting with a sexual partner outside of a marriage that is legally valid in Kentucky.' The bill failed.

  • By Husna Haq Correspondent

How has cohabiting affected marriage? Cohabiting has skyrocketed, increasing from 430,000 couples in 1960 to 7.5 million today. And it’s not just young people doing it. In fact, women ages 40 to 44 experienced the greatest increase in cohabitation – a 163 percent increase in the last 20 years.

Cohabiting is growing quickly in the 40-plus age group, among divorced and widowed adults who want close relationships but don’t want to blend their families or complex portfolios of assets.

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