Final answer:
Couples cohabitate before marriage for several reasons including testing compatibility and financial benefits, but recent research suggests cohabitation does not significantly affect marriage success. Cohabitation is also associated with the trend of couples delaying marriage and contributes to the changing patterns of the traditional family structure in the U.S.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between cohabiting before marriage and those who live together only after marriage involves various social dynamics. Couples who cohabitate before marriage often do so to spend more time together, save on living costs, and as a "trial run" for marriage. Approximately 28 percent of men and women cohabitated before their first marriage, while about half of cohabitators transition into marriage within three years. However, recent studies indicate that cohabitation has little effect on the long-term success of marriage, and those who do not cohabitate before marriage have slightly better rates of staying married for more than ten years. Cohabitation has also contributed to more people delaying marriage, with the median marriage age rising to 26 for women and 28 for men. The decrease in social stigma has led to a surge in cohabitation, with 15 percent of young adults ages 25-34 living with an unmarried partner in 2018.
Cohabitation influences marriage patterns, with more individuals prioritizing education and career over "settling down", thus marrying at later ages. The traditional U.S. family structure is evolving as fewer couples choose to marry, some preferring to maintain cohabitating relationships without legal marriage.