Marriage Rates in Germany Hit Historic Low in 2024 Amid Changing Social Trends

In 2024, Germany recorded its lowest number of marriages since 1950, with 349,200 weddings, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). This marks a significant decline of over 50% compared to 1950 and reflects ongoing societal shifts. Despite the downward trend, Germany's marriage rate remains slightly above the EU average, with 4.2 marriages per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024 compared to the EU-wide average of 4.0 in 2023. The first marriage rate stood at 79%, and 3% of the marriages were between same-sex couples.

The proportion of married individuals in Germany has fallen from 60% in 1994 to 50% in 2024, while those single increased from 24% to over 33%. Marriages are occurring later in life, with the average age rising to 32.9 years for women and 35.3 years for men. Meanwhile, the average duration of marriages has lengthened from 12 years in 1994 to nearly 15 years recently. Church weddings have declined more sharply, with only 22,513 Catholic and 28,089 Protestant ceremonies recorded in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Psychotherapist Wolfgang Krüger attributes the marriage decline to uncertain times prompting hesitation toward long-term commitments. Additionally, research from the ifo Institute suggests that marriage conditions, such as the spouse splitting tax benefit (Ehegattensplitting), can reduce women's income by 20%, potentially influencing decisions about marriage.

Comparatively, Eastern European countries like Romania, Latvia, and Hungary reported higher marriage rates, while Bulgaria, Italy, and Slovenia had the lowest in the EU, emphasizing varied demographic trends across Europe.