Marriage

With more and more people out there waiting to get married, the general conscious is that single people are, well, happier people. With the life expectancy rising, couples are waiting longer before saying their "I do's". The average age for women getting hitched rose from 20.8 in 1970 to 25.3 in 2003. Additionally, more adults are living the single life, thanks in large part to the higher divorce rate. According to the U.S. Census data, 90% more single-person households existed in 2005 than in 1970. This means that the share of married couples among the nation's 86.8 million households fell from 70.5% to 58%, replaced by an explosion of single people living alone. But whose happier?

Anyone who has watched or even heard of the popular television show Sex and the City recognizes the fact that to lead a happy, successful and fulfilled life, you do not have to be tried down or permanently attached. However, what does research show? Psychologist have found that people get in a boost in life satisfaction that can only come from marriage. A study in Germany agreed and found out that people who get married and stay married are also happier than singles. A factor to consider in these marriages is also the quality of the marriage. Of course no one is going to be happy staying in a marriage where they are abused or feel trapped. However, in the U.S. almost two-thirds of married couples claim that they are in a happy and satisfying marriage. It is also shown that attached people earn more money, live longer, and tend to be healthier than unattached people. What are the reasons behind this? With so many young people waiting to get married it is assumed that they are happier living the single life-no attachments and less responsibilities.

On the contrary, married couples show a higher rate of happiness for many reasons. One of the most important being that they are able to have a family. Having a family means passing on their genes, having a circle they can call their...