More co-habiting

Co-habiting couples have the same number of hands as married couples,

so they ought to make equally good parents.

Many do, but on average the children of co-habiting couples do worse by nearly every measure.

One reason is that such relationships are less stable than marriages.

In America, they last about two years on average.

About half end in marriage.

But those who live together before marriage are more likely to divorce.

Economist