The decline of China’s marriage registrations last year was primarily driven by a shrinking population of marriage-eligible individuals, scholars say.
On February 8, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China released the Civil Affairs Statistics for the Fourth Quarter of 2024, revealing that 6.106 million couples registered for marriage nationwide in 2024, while 2.621 million couples filed for divorce.
Compared to 2023, marriage registrations fell by 1.574 million couples, a significant 20.5% decrease. Meanwhile, divorce registrations saw a slight rise of 28,000 couples, up by approximately 1.1%.
China’s marriage registration numbers have been steadily declining since 2014, dropping to 6.84 million in 2022 before experiencing a modest rebound in 2023.
Experts attribute the declining marriage rate to both demographic factors and shifting societal attitudes. A shrinking base of marriage-age individuals, coupled with a weakening desire to marry, has made this downward trend a long-term phenomenon. Furthermore, the drop in marriages in 2024 is expected to significantly impact the birth rate in 2025.
Changing Attitudes Toward Marriage
How do young people perceive marriage today?
A 2024 Youth Love and Marriage Trends Report, jointly released by Soul App and the Youth Research Team from the Department of Sociology at Shanghai University, found that different generations have developed distinct attitudes toward marriage based on their upbringing and social environment.
For individuals born in the 1980s, 1990s, and mid-1990s, marriage is not only a personal milestone but also a symbol of family and social responsibility. Women born in the 1990s and 2000s particularly value marriage as a means of self-improvement and mutual growth with their partners, while men born in the 2000s emphasize the importance of legal recognition in relationships built on true love.
According to Yicai, citing official data, China has approximately 220 million people born after 1980, 208.5 million born after 1990, and 162.6 million born after 2000. To encourage marriage, experts suggest that authorities foster a more supportive environment by promoting family values and enhancing matchmaking services.
Written by Chen Wang, additional reporting by China Daily、China Economic Times.
