How Does Growing Up in Canton Affect Your Chances of Getting Married

By Feroze Dhanoa

Growing up in Canton does affect your odds of marrying, according to an article in the New York Times.

Overall, the data suggest that growing up in a liberal part of the country makes you about 10 percentage points less likely to get married relative to the rest of the country. While growing up in a conservative part of America, increases your likelihood of getting married.

If you grew up in Canton, you are 7 percentage points less likely to be married by the age of 26.

For the state overall, growing up in Connecticut makes you 6.6 percentage points less likely to get married by the age of 26.

The data covers more than five million people who moved as children in the 1980s and 1990s and the economists believe that they have identified a causal role that geography plays in people’s lives.

The data analyzes a child’s odds of being married by the age of 26, however researchers found that the effect does not simply delay marriage. They found similar trends when these children turned 30.

Currently, the children are not old enough for data to be analyzed beyond this age.

Another factor the study identifies is the “Small-Town Effect,” which shows that less densely populated places seem to promote marriage even after taking political affiliation into account. In general, the Northeast discourages marriage at all income levels.

To view the full study and get a more comprehensive look at the data, read the article at the New York Times.