Growing number of Americans marry without intention of ever having kids

More married couples are choosing not to have children, according to a recent Pew Research report.

The survey, which looked at married couples in which at least one spouse is older than 30, classified these couples into three categories based on income and children: dual income with kids, single income with kids and dual income with no kids.

In 2013, only 8% of all married couples were dual income and no kids – “DINKS.” Today, they are 12% of all marriages, marking a 50% increase in just over 10 years.

Since 2013, the percentage of dual-income couples with children also increased from 52% to 57%, while the number of single-income couples with kids decreased from 34% to 27%.

The data did not consider cohabiting couples who are less likely to “pool their finances,” Pew reports.

DINKs are more likely to be in a marriage in which both spouses have a bachelor’s degree (58%), compared with 43% of married couples with a dual income and kids.

Eight in 10 spouses (81%) in a DINK marriage both work full time, while 68% of couples with dual income and children both work full time.

While DINKs earn more ($193,900) annually than dual-income couples with kids ($151,900), the couples with children often accumulate more wealth ($361,500) than DINKs ($214,700). This wealth increase is likely due to home ownership and age, Pew explains. Nearly 8 in 10 (79%) dual-income couples with children own a home, compared to 71% of DINKs who own a home.

The DINK increase correlates to the growing number of young adults who say they are unlikely to ever have children. Of adults younger than 50 who currently have no children, 47% say they plan to never have children, according to a 2023 Pew Research survey.

Of those without children, 64% of women say they don’t want to have kids, compared to 50% of men. The reasons fueling this decision vary, including personal choice, career focus, worry about the future and financial concerns.