To understand the state of relationships, marriage, and divorce in the U.S., researchers have conducted studies at the State and local level. In a few States, these studies have been done to create a "baseline," or starting point of understanding to measure progress. You may also want to see the Marriage Measures Guide of State-Level Statistics.

California

The State of California's Unions: Marriage and Divorce in the Golden State

 

 

 

 

Florida

Family Formation in Florida: 2003 Baseline Survey of Attitudes, Beliefs, and Demographics Relating to Marriage and Family Formation

 

 

 

Kentucky

The Kentucky Marriage Attitudes Study, 2004 Baseline Survey

Michigan

State of the State Survey: Marriage in Michigan, Factors that Affect Satisfaction, Clifford Broman, Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, Michigan State University (2000)

Formative Research Report; Together We Can: Creating a Healthy Future for our Family (two-county Michigan survey) 2007

 

 

Minnesota

Crime and Marriage in Minnesota and the Nation: If Wedding Rings Help Break Vicious and Violent Cycles, What's Impeding Them from Doing So More Often, Mitchell Pearlstein, Ph.D., American Experiment Quarterly (2005)

The Minnesota Income Tax Marriage Credit (2006) (PDF – 225 KB)

Oklahoma

Marriage in Oklahoma: A Statewide Baseline Survey on Marriage and Divorce (2001-2002)

Oklahoma Marriage Initiative (OMI): An Overview of the Longest-Running Statewide Marriage Initiative in the U.S.(2006)

The Oklahoma Marriage Initiative: A Process Evaluation (2008)

The Oklahoma Marriage Initiative: The Promise and Challenge of Using Volunteers to Provide Community-Based Marriage Education (2008)

The Oklahoma Marriage Initiative: Using Research to Guide the Development of an Evolving Statewide Initiative (2008)

Putting Marriage on the Agenda: How Oklahoma Laid the Foundation for Its Marriage Initiative (2008)

Starting Early: How the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative Helps Schools Prepare Young People for Healthy Marriages (2008)

Implementation of 'Within My Reach:' Providing a Relationship Awareness and Communications Skills Program to TANF Recipients in Oklahoma (2008)

The Oklahoma Marriage Initiative Statewide Baseline Survey was designed to learn the public attitudes and perceptions about marriage.

• Transition to Parenthood Baseline Survey – designed to learn more about the relationship quality and attitudes of low-income mothers and fathers during pregnancy.
  • Baseline Survey for Fathers
  • Baseline Survey for Mothers

 

Tennessee

The State of the Family 2006 (Hamilton County, TN)

Evaluating the Role of Marriage for Welfare Recipients

Texas

Twogether in Texas: Baseline Report on Marriage in the Lone Star State, 2008

 

 

 

Utah

Marriage in Utah: 2003 Utah Baseline Statewide Survey on Marriage and Divorce