Census shows more unmarried couples in families

A recent Census Bureau report showed Iowa families are changing, with nearly three in four new households composed of unmarried couples. ISU Extension family specialist Cindy Fletcher says that reflects a national trend.Fletcher says family structure is more diverse, just as our culture is today, and our families reflect much broader social, cultural and economic trends. Fletcher also says you can’t pin the change in family makeup on any one factor like the economy or tax policy.She says we accept diverse lifestyles more today, and no longer is there an expectation that one form of family is the right one. While some of the new families in Iowa are single-parent and struggling households, Fletcher says many others are higher-income couples who remain unmarried for a variety of different reasons.