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CNA
07-07-2025
- General
- CNA
Marriages in Singapore dip 7% in 2024, citizens marry later: Study
Fewer Singaporeans got married in 2024, with the number of couples exchanging vows dropping by seven per cent compared to 2023. This is even as their unions hold steady, with divorces before the 10th year lowest in 10 marriage cohorts. These figures are from the latest Family Trends Report, released by the Social and Family Development Ministry. Professor Paulin Straughan, a sociologist at Singapore Management University who is also a Families For Life Council Member, talks about the reasons for the dip in marriages. She also discusses what these issues mean for Singapore.
Malay Mail
07-07-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Weddings down, splits up: Singapore marriages fall 7pc in 2024, divorce numbers climb
SINGAPORE, July 7 — Fewer couples got married while more chose to part ways in Singapore last year, according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF) latest family trends report released today. Channel News Asia reported that a total of 26,328 marriages were registered in 2024, down 7 per cent from 28,310 in 2023. Civil marriages saw the biggest decline, with a sharper drop among those aged 25 to 34 — the age group that traditionally makes up the bulk of newlyweds. Among brides aged 25 to 34, 15,213 got married in 2024, compared to 16,707 the year before — a fall of 8.9 per cent. For grooms in the same age group, numbers dipped 9 per cent, from 14,956 in 2023 to 13,615 last year. Muslim marriages also declined slightly to 5,184 in 2024, from 5,396 in the previous year. This was largely attributed to fewer marriages involving grooms aged 30 to 34 and 45 and older, and brides in their 30s and early 40s. One factor contributing to the slowdown in marriages is the rising age of first-time brides and grooms. Over the past decade, the median age at first marriage rose from 30.2 to 31.1 for grooms and from 28.2 to 29.6 for brides. At the same time, the number of marriages ending in divorce or annulment increased by 3.7 per cent — from 7,118 cases in 2023 to 7,382 in 2024. The median age at divorce has also crept upwards. In 2024, male divorcees were on average 44.4 years old, up from 42.6 in 2014. Female divorcees had a median age of 40.9, compared to 38.4 a decade ago. The typical duration of marriage before divorce rose to 11.1 years, from 10.4 years in 2014. Most divorces — about 29 per cent — occurred among couples married for five to nine years. Yet despite the uptick, the data suggests that newer marriage cohorts are more stable. Among couples who married between 2006 and 2013, the likelihood of divorcing before their 10th anniversary has fallen. For example, 14.4 per cent of couples married in 2013 had split within 10 years, compared to 17 per cent for those who married in 2005. "This signifies greater marriage stability among recent cohorts of married couples," the MSF noted. It added that the "most significant improvement was seen in the fall in dissolution rates for Muslim marriages," even though divorce rates for Muslim marriages remain higher than those for civil marriages. 'The gap has narrowed significantly for more recent marriage cohorts,' the ministry said. The trend of delayed family formation continues beyond marriage. The median age of first-time fathers rose to 33.6 years in 2024, up from 32.9 in 2014. For mothers, the median age climbed from 30.4 to 31.9. Singapore's total fertility rate remained at a record low of 0.97 in 2024, marking the second year in a row that it stayed below 1.0. The family trends report also noted that more fathers are taking paternity leave, with 56 per cent of those with children born in 2023 doing so — up from 53 per cent the year before. Maternity leave take-up remains high, at 74 per cent.
CNA
07-07-2025
- General
- CNA
Marriages in Singapore dip 7% in 2024, divorces up
SINGAPORE: The number of marriages in Singapore last year dipped by 7 per cent compared to 2023, according to a report by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) released on Monday (Jul 7). A total of 26,328 marriages were registered in 2024, compared to 28,310 marriages in 2023. Data from the Department of Statistics (SingStat) cited in MSF's family trends report showed a decline in civil marriages across almost all age groups in 2024 compared to 2023, with the largest fall in the number of marriages involving grooms and brides aged 25 to 34. A total of 15,213 brides in this age range got married last year, an 8.9 per cent fall from 16,707 in 2023. Similarly, 13,615 grooms aged 25 to 34 tied the knot in 2024, a 9 per cent slide from 14,956 in 2023. Out of all the marriages last year, 21,144 were civil unions, down from 22,914 in 2023. There was also a dip in Muslim marriages from 5,396 in 2023 to 5,184 last year. This was mainly due to fewer unions involving grooms aged 30 to 34 and 45 and above, as well as brides aged 30 to 34 and 40 to 44. These trends align with a broader shift, with the median age at first marriage increasing over the past decade. For grooms, it rose from 30.2 years in 2014 to 31.1 years in 2024, and from 28.2 to 29.6 for brides over the same period. Meanwhile, a total of 7,382 marriages ended in a divorce or an annulment last year, a 3.7 per cent increase from the 7,118 marital dissolutions in 2023, SingStat announced on Monday. Over the last 10 years, the median age at divorce rose from 42.6 years in 2014 to 44.4 years in 2024 for male divorcees, and from 38.4 years to 40.9 years for female divorcees. The median duration of marriage for divorces in 2024 was 11.1 years, longer than the 10.4 years in 2014. Couples who were married for five to nine years made up the largest share, accounting for 29 per cent of divorces in 2024, findings showed. Despite this, couples who married from 2006 to 2013 have had lower divorce rates before the first 10 years, compared to the 2005 marriage cohort. The cumulative proportion of divorces before the 10th anniversary declined from 17 per cent for the 2005 marriage cohort to 14.4 per cent for the 2013 marriage cohort. This "signifies greater marriage stability among recent cohorts of married couples", MSF said. It added that the "most significant improvement was seen in the fall in dissolution rates for Muslim marriages". "While the rate for Muslim marriages remained higher than that of civil marriages across all cohorts, the gap has narrowed significantly for more recent marriage cohorts," the ministry said. RISE IN MEDIAN AGE OF FIRST-TIME PARENTS Couples are becoming first-time parents later compared to a decade ago, findings from the report showed. Last year, the median age of first-time fathers increased to 33.6 years from 32.9 years in 2014. Similarly, the median age for first-time mothers increased to 31.9 years from 30.4 years over the same timeframe. The country's total fertility rate remained at a record low of 0.97 in 2024, marking the second consecutive year it has fallen below 1.0. The family trends report also revealed that 56 per cent of fathers with children born in 2023 took government-paid paternity leave in 2023, compared to 53 per cent the year before. The take-up rate for maternity leave continues to remain high, with 74 per cent of mothers doing so in 2022 and 2023. INCREASE IN INFANT AND CHILDCARE SPOTS Over the last decade, there has been a nearly threefold increase in full-day infant care places, data from the Early Childhood Development Agency cited in the report showed. Spots increased from 5,628 in 2014 to 16,207 in 2024, to cater to growing demand, MSF said, adding that enrolment numbers also rose from 3,506 to 11,265 in the same period. Similarly, full-day childcare places nearly doubled from 104,066 in 2014 to 200,847 in 2024. The enrolment rate of children aged three to four years increased from 76 per cent in 2014 to 90 per cent in 2024, while that of children aged five to six years climbed slightly from 91 per cent to 93 per cent in the last decade. MORE ELDERLY RESIDENTS LIVING ALONE The number of residents aged 65 and above living at home increased from 466,300 in 2014 to 767,900 in 2024. While about 80 per cent of these elderly residents continued to live with their spouse or children, those living alone at home had doubled in the last decade from 42,100 in 2014 to 87,200 in 2024. A 2023 MSF survey found that more than 80 per cent of respondents ranked family members among the top three choices in meeting the needs of the elderly. The same survey also showed that the majority of respondents - 90.4 per cent - agreed that it is important for grandparents and their grandchildren to maintain close ties with one another, the ministry added. 'This shows that family members continue to be the key line of support for elderly,' MSF said.
