Across all ethnic groups, the rates of marriage are in a constant decline over the past decade, and with those tying the knot doing it much later in life. A comparison between more educate whites, black people with less than a high school diploma have been marrying less and much later in life.

This phenomenon can be credited to marital stratification by race and the level of education revealing that, factors such as the ability to accumulate wealth- such as having money in the bank, owning a house, a car or an income stream is a major determinant factor for first marriages.