The American Family: Waiting to Say ‘I Do’

Episode 54

Navigate to:

The American Family: Waiting to Say ‘I Do’

Homeownership is the largest source of wealth for most American families, and obtaining a safe, traditional 15-to-30-year mortgage is a key step toward achieving financial security. But outdated housing policies and financial regulations have made small mortgages—those for homes priced under $150,000—expensive for lenders and unavailable for millions of qualified and creditworthy borrowers, especially Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous households and those in rural communities. With limited access to small mortgages, many of these families turn to alternative financing arrangements, which often involve financial risks and lack many of the protections traditional mortgages offer.

Stat: 7. On average, Americans are waiting nearly seven years longer to get married than they did in 1968, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Story: Does putting off marriage mean people no longer want to say “I do?” To learn more about this trend, we spoke to couples who are waiting to wed—in the first installment of our four-part series on today’s American family. Marriage historian Stephanie Coontz also offers insights.

Related resources:

OUR WORK

After the Fact

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics

Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?