Marriage and Divorce Rates in Wisconsin, 1920-35

Abstract

Both marriage and divorce rates in Wisconsin were promptly and sharply deflected by the economic depression of the 1930's, but the deficits were soon made up. The marriage habits of rural people were less affected than those of city people. The older and wealthier rural counties resembled the cities in the behavior of their rates. Counties with heavy relief costs had lower marriage rates. Counties with the largest proportion of females gainfully employed had the highest marriage and divorce rates, and their marriage rates were more sensitive to business fluctuations. A decline in the marriage rate was responsible for at least 90 per cent of the net reduction in the general fertility rate between 1930 and 1935.