State-level legal and sociodemographic correlates of child marriage rates in the United States

The United States and 193 other nations have pledged to end child marriage, which is widely considered a violation of basic human rights, by 2030 under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5.3). Although there is a breadth of knowledge on child marriage in many low- and middle-income countries, little research and policy discussion exists surrounding child marriage within the United States. Using administrative data from several sources, this study examines how a range of different state-level variables, including political lean, academic performance, median household income, religiosity, population density, and median distance to an abortion clinic are related to variation in child marriage rates across states. Additionally, the study examines how minimum age requirements and other state laws, such as parental and judicial consent, are related to child marriage rates. Significant correlates of higher state-level child marriage rates in the United States included lower median state income, higher religiosity, lower academic performance, and more Republican political lean, whereas state minimum marriage age laws, median distance to an abortion clinic, population density, and state law loopholes were not significantly correlated with child marriage rates. Setting a federal minimum marriage age of 18 years would be necessary to eliminate child marriage in the United States.

Duke Scholars

Author Jennifer Lansford Sanford School of Public Policy