Marriage Matters: Kentucky Ranked 13th in Nation for Strong, Enduring Families

LEXINGTON, KY – Kentucky is ranked 13th for the strongest family culture in the country, according to a new national index. The Family Structure Index measures which states have the most stable and sustainable families, highlighting the importance of strong families for the future of our state and nation.

The Index analyzes demographic and fertility data to determine which states are best situated to improve the prospects for happy and healthy children and the economic well-being of a state. Utah ranks at the top, and Rhode Island ranks last.

“Families are the foundation of any strong culture and society. The Family Structure Index exposes the need for policy makers and church leaders to promote healthy marriages and families across our Commonwealth. While Kentucky ranks 13th, I firmly believe that we have the tools to help hurting families and rise in the rankings,” said David Walls, Executive Director of The Family Foundation in Kentucky. “I am grateful that important bills have been introduced to bring greater attention to family health and formation, including HB 294 by Rep. Shane Baker that would introduce instruction on the “Success Sequence” into public schools. The key to building a stronger Kentucky is stronger marriages and families.”

Developed by Brad Wilcox, Professor of Sociology and Director of the National Marriage Project of the University of Virginia, the Success Sequence is the idea that a child will find greater success in life if they graduate high school, get married, and have children—in that order. Though the concept was developed based upon sociological study, it finds clear expression in Scripture as God’s design for marriage and families.

Also developed by Dr. Wilcox, in partnership with Center for Christian Virtue and The Institute for Family Studies, the Index focuses on the share of adult residents of a state who are married, have children, and raise those children together through the child’s high-school years. The Family Foundation is an allied family policy council with the Center for Christian Virtue in Ohio.

The index is specifically made up of three components:

1. The percentage of adults aged 25 to 54 in the state who are married.
2. The average number of lifetime births per woman in the state (the Total Fertility Rate).
3. The percentage of children in the state who are living with their married birth or adoptive parents at ages 15 to 17.

The full index of all 50 states can be found here and several initial proposed policy solutions can be found here.