median household income,
which in this analysis has
been adjusted for the size of
the household and
standardized to a household
size of three.
Among college-educated
adults, the median adjusted
household income of
cohabiters ($106,400 in
2009) slightly exceeded that
of married adults ($101,160)
and was significantly higher
than that of adults without
opposite-sex partners
($90,067). However, among
adults without college
degrees, the median adjusted
household income of
cohabiters ($46,540) was
well below that of married
couples ($56,800) and was
barely higher than that of
adults without opposite-sex
partners ($45,033).
arrangements of cohabiters
with and without college
degrees help explain gaps in
their comparative economic
well-being. These differences
include:
The Pew Research analysis
finds that differences in
employment rates and
household living
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Among the college-educated,
two-earner couples were
more prevalent among
cohabiters (78%) than
married adults (67%) in
2009. By working more,
cohabiters offset married
adults’ higher median
earnings.
Among those without college
degrees, two-earner couples
were slightly less prevalent
among cohabiters (55%) than
married adults (59%) in
2009. In addition to being
more likely to work, these
married adults have the
advantage of higher median
earnings.
Among the college-educated,
a much higher share of
married adults (81%) than
cohabiters (33%) lived in a
household with children in