Income Gap Widens: Census Finds Record Gap Between Rich And Poor

Hope Yen
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The recession took a dramatic toll on marriage in America, new figures show, with those 18 and over who decided to wed in 2009 at the lowest ebb since the government began tracking the data over 100 years ago.

A broad array of new Census Bureau data, released Tuesday, documents the far-reaching impact of the business slump that experts say technically ended in June 2009: A surging demand for food stamps, far less homeownership and single people doubling up in housing to save money.

The figures show that marriages fell to a record low level, with just 52 percent of adults 18 and over saying they were married, compared to 57 percent in 2000. Many young people struggled to find work and achieve economic independence.

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