"Marriage Without a Job" Is a Thing of the Past... Unemployed, Housework, Student Brides Down 79% in 16 Years

33,143 Cases Last Year... Down to One-Fifth of 2008
Number of Professional Women Higher at 45,282

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The number of women who got married while unemployed or engaged in housework or studies has significantly decreased. Last year, such women accounted for only 13.8% of all women who married, which was even less than the share of those working in professional occupations.

According to the National Statistical Portal (KOSIS) of the Ministry of Data and Statistics on July 13, there were 33,143 cases last year where the occupation of women at the time of marriage was classified as unemployed, engaged in housework, or student.

This represents a decrease of 121,938 cases compared to 155,081 cases in 2008, when the relevant statistics were updated to the current standard. The figure has dropped to about one-fifth of the 2008 level.

The number of marriages involving women who were unemployed, engaged in housework, or students has steadily declined. In 2016, it fell below 100,000 for the first time to 90,723, and further dropped to 59,778 in 2018. By 2021, it had entered the 30,000 range with 36,393 cases and has remained at a similar level since then.

The number of such cases last year increased by 662 (2.0%) compared to 32,481 cases in 2024. However, during the same period, the total number of marriages rose by 8.1%, from 222,412 to 240,326. As a result, the share of unemployed, housework, or student women among all marriages decreased by 0.8 percentage points, from 14.6% in 2024 to 13.8% last year.

Unemployed, Housework, Student Category Down to One-Fifth of 2008; Now Fewer Than Professionals

Among women who married last year, the largest occupational group was office workers, accounting for 75,361 cases or 31.4% of the total. Professionals and related workers followed with 45,282 cases (18.8%), and service and sales workers accounted for 37,689 cases (15.7%).

The number of marriages involving professional and related workers was 12,139 higher than those involving unemployed, housework, or student women. In 2008, there were 155,081 marriages involving unemployed, housework, or student women, which was more than three times the 51,223 cases involving professionals and related workers, but the gap has narrowed rapidly since then.

The ranking between the two groups reversed for the first time in 2018. That year, 61,544 women who were professionals and related workers got married, surpassing the 59,778 unemployed, housework, or student women. Since then, the number of professional and related worker marriages has been higher every year.

Average Age at First Marriage Rises and Employment Rate Increases... Regional Gaps Remain Clear

During the same period, both the average age of women at marriage and the employment rate increased.

Last year, the average age at first marriage for women was 31.6 years, up 3.3 years from 28.3 years in 2008. The employment rate for women aged 30 to 34, the main age group for marriage, also rose by 23.2 percentage points, from 51.9% to 75.1% over the same period.

By region, North Gyeongsang Province had the highest proportion of marriages involving unemployed, housework, or student women at 19.4%, followed by South Jeolla Province at 17.8%, North Jeolla Province at 17.4%, and Ulsan at 17.3%.

In contrast, only two of the 17 metropolitan cities and provinces had rates below 10%: Sejong at 6.9% and Seoul at 7.8%. Seoul also had the highest average age at first marriage for women at 32.4 years, followed by Sejong at 32.0 years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.