In 2024, the number of marriage registrations in China totaled 6.106 million pairs, a decrease of 20.5% compared to the previous year, indicating a declining marriage rate as well.
According to the “2024 Civil Affairs Development Statistics Bulletin” released by the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs on July 30, in 2024, there were a total of 4,190 marriage registration institutions and venues in China, including 1,134 marriage registration institutions. The total number of marriages registered legally during the year was 6.106 million pairs, marking a 20.5% decrease from the previous year. The marriage rate stood at 4.3‰, down by 1.1‰ from the previous year. A total of 3.513 million pairs went through divorce procedures, with 2.622 million pairs registering for divorce through civil affairs departments, and 0.891 million pairs divorcing through court judgments or mediation. The divorce rate was 2.5‰.
The data also reveals that among the 6.106 million pairs who registered for marriage, there were 1.635 million individuals aged 20-24, 4.288 million individuals aged 25-29, 2.609 million individuals aged 30-34, 1.397 million individuals aged 35-39, and 2.282 million individuals aged 40 and above.
Meanwhile, according to financial news from Sina, the number of marriage registrations in the first quarter of 2025 was only 1.81 million pairs, a further decrease of 140,000 pairs compared to the same period last year.
In response to this trend, Sina cited analyses from mainland scholars, stating that younger generations born after the 1990s and 2000s are increasingly inclined to postpone or forgo marriage. Many parents born in the 1970s are no longer pressuring their children to get married.
The main reasons behind this phenomenon are attributed to the significant life pressures faced by the youth, coupled with low incomes and high monthly expenses. Many young individuals are reluctant to take on the responsibility of starting a new family due to these financial burdens. Parents, understanding their children’s struggles, no longer push for marriage. Additionally, the high cost of getting married is a major concern. Many young people find the expenses associated with marriage daunting, such as dowries, wedding ceremonies, and purchasing a house costing millions of yuan. This hefty financial burden often depletes parents’ lifelong savings, causing worries among parents and reducing their urgency for their children to marry soon.
Experts believe that the declining marriage rate may continue to be a long-term trend in society.
Since reaching its peak in 2013, the number of marriages in China has been steadily declining since 2014, with consecutive decreases in the following years. Although there was a slight increase in 2023, the number of marriages fell below 10 million pairs in 2019, below 9 million in 2020, below 8 million in 2021, and dropped below 7 million in 2022. Compared to the peak in 2013, the number of marriages has dropped by 49.3% over the past 9 years, almost halving. In 2024, the downward trend continued, hitting a new low.