Remarrying after the death of a spouse is a difficult choice, especially after a close relationship. However, statistics show that widowers have a significantly higher drive to remarry after losing their spouse.
Over 90% of widows will not remarry after the death of their spouse, according to several studies. However, about 40% of widowers will not remarry after losing their spouse.
Younger widows have a high remarriage rate, however, men are at least twice more likely to remarry after losing a spouse.
Understanding the scope of remarriage after the death of a spouse won’t be easy without access to correct information. That’s why this article presents ten (10) major statistics about remarriage after spousal loss.
1. Over 7% of white widows will remarry within five years of a spouse’s death
Journal of Demography
A study showed that about 7.4% of Caucasian widows were likely to remarry within five years of spousal loss. The US study shows that a small fraction of white, widowed women will feel urged to remarry.
The urge to remarry after spousal loss could be driven by emotional needs, economic factors, or marital opportunities. Such a small percentage of widows remarrying suggest the women may need some form of companionship after losing a spouse.
2. About 4% of black widows will remarry after five years of being widowed
Population Association of America
Findings from a US study show that about 4.8% of African-American widows will remarry five years after losing their spouse. Only widows over age 40 were considered in this study, so there’s a chance of this percentage changing with larger populations.
3. 42% of widowed or divorced young people would remarry
PEW Research
Findings show that about 42 out of every 100 young adults will remarry after getting divorced or being widowed. It is also evident from reports that remarriage rates are increasing among widowed spouses 55 years or older.
4. 20% of widowers over 65 years old would ever remarry
Journal of Demography
20 out of 100 widows aged 65 years or older are likely to remarry after losing their partner. What this shows is that about 80 out of 100 widows 65 years and above will never consider remarrying.
5. 61% of men will marry another spouse or get into a romantic relationship after being widowed for 2 years
NCBI
A staggering 61 out of 100 men will marry or date someone two years after spousal loss. The figures are twice higher than numbers recorded for women within the same period.
6. Over 18% of women will get into a romantic relationship or marriage after being widowed for 24 months or later
National Library of Medicine
Just under 20% of women will date another partner or get married two (2) years after losing a spouse. That means more than 80% of widows across all ages will not remarry or start a relationship post-loss.
7. A US study suggests that widowers with high social support will be interested in remarrying after 18 months
Journal of Aging Studies
Social connections are a driving factor among widowers who will be interested in dating. Studies suggest that widowers are likely to date or remarry after losing a spouse after 18 months.
8. According to a US study, four (4) symptoms of spousal loss are likely to drive widowed couples into dating
Journal of Aging Studies
Findings from a US study show that depression, anxiety, loneliness, and sadness are major drivers of dating in widowed spouses. The study revealed that widowed spouses were most likely to feel these symptoms within 6 – 12 months.
It is possible for some widowed people to show no signs of extreme depression after losing a spouse. And other findings from the report show that widows will feel the effects of losing a spouse less after one year.
Recently widowed people might see dating as a great way to minimize the grief that comes with losing a partner.
9. The remarriage rate of under-60 widows is 10 times more than that of 60+ year-old widows
Journal of Demography
A published study reveals that widows under the age of 60 have a greater chance of remarrying than older widows. The findings show that age is a significant determining factor in widows’ decisions to remarry.
Apart from age, other factors like education, number of children, income, and race seem to affect widow’s decisions to marry again.
10. Widowers over 60 are 15 times more likely to remarry than widows
Journal of Demography
Widowers below age 60 are just three times more likely to remarry than those above 60 years of age. However, the comparisons seem to change when compared with widows.
Widowers above 60 years are fifteen (15) times more likely to marry again after spousal loss. Several factors drive the remarriage choice of most widowers, with companionship needs ranking as a major reason for marrying again.
