Detailed Findings & Methodology

The median age of a population speaks volumes about the kind of environment of these marriage capitals. For example, the age of the populations living in 30 of these marriage hubs exceed the national median age of 37.7 years, which indicates that the total population skews older. Many of these places are retirement communities.

The national share of the 65 years and over population is 14.5%, and in 21 of these marriage capitals the share of the older population tops the national figure. Over half the population in four marriage capitals is 65 years and over. Three of these cities are also among the five places with the highest percentage of married people nationwide. More specifically, 78%-80% of the population 15 years and over is married in Tellico, Tennessee; Citrus Hills, Florida; and Saddlebrooke, Arizona. All three of these marriage hubs are well-known retirement communities.

As for the 20 marriage capitals where the median age doesn’t exceed the national median of 37.7 years, the median age can be as low as 20 years. In Eagle Mountain, a Utah city known for outdoor activities and a relatively large Mormon population, the median age is 20.2 years with 76% of males and 81.6% of females ages 20-34 married.

The median age also tends to be lower in places with military bases. For example, in Camp Pendleton South, California — a Marine Corps base — 76% of residents 15 and over are married, making it the place with the highest percentage of married people in the state. The median age in the city is about 21. Hickam Housing, Hawaii — an Air Force base — is another example, with 80.7% of the 15-and-over population married. The median age in Hickam Housing is about 23.

Another common factor in the places with the highest percentage of married individuals in each state is median household income. Of the 50 marriage capitals, 43 have a median household income greater than the national median of $55,322 per year.

A strong majority of the marriage capitals comprise wealthy people. In 21 marriage capitals the median household income surpasses $100,000 annually. Skidaway Island is considered to be one of the most affluent communities in Georgia with a median household income of $104,643. And that median household income is half of another marriage capital on this list, Darien, Connecticut, with a median household income of $208,125.

To identify the marriage capital in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the percentage of people ages 15 and over who are married in all 29,321 cities and towns in the United States. We retrieved these figures from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey. The population data are five-year averages through 2016. Median age and household income data also came from the ACS. In order to ensure that all states had a town or city with a percentage of married people above the state average, 24/7 Wall St. assessed cities and towns with total populations greater than 5,000 people.