Paul Bedard of the Washington Examiner highlights interesting new survey results that paint a particularly positive picture of marriage.
Americans who have said “I do” are more satisfied with their lives than adults who are unmarried, topping eight key “satisfaction” Gallup lifestyle categories.
“Married Americans are more satisfied with both their family lives and their communities than are those who are unmarried,” the polling firm said Monday in its analysis of personal lifestyle.
The survey studied 10 categories, breaking out the married vs. unmarried results in eight. In all eight, married couples were “very satisfied” at percentages higher than singles.
But nearly everyone polled said they felt satisfied with their life. Gallup said, for example, that 90 percent feel good about their “family life, their education and the way they spend their leisure time.”
Three of the Gallup categories looked at income, housing and standard of living. On personal income, 46 percent of married couples said they were “very satisfied” to just 24 percent of those unmarried. The ratio was 54 percent to 37 percent on standard of living. And on housing, 73 percent of married couples said they were “very satisfied” versus 50 percent for unmarried adults.
The results were similar for lifestyle.
Asked about “family life,” 88 percent of married couples expressed high satisfaction versus 63 percent for the unmarried. On their communities, 68 percent of married couples said they were “very satisfied” versus 53 percent for singles who were “very satisfied.” And considering personal health, married people edged singles 55 percent to 52 percent.
