Fewer and later marriages in Singapore in 2025, but divorce rates also fell

The number of marriages registered in Singapore continued to decline in 2025, with couples marrying later, according to figures from the Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat).

In a statement on Friday (July 10), SingStat said 24,688 marriages were registered in 2025, down 6.2 per cent from 26,328 in 2024.

The average number of marriages registered annually between 2023 and 2025 stands at 26,442, lower than the 27,156 recorded between 2016 and 2019, reflecting a longer-term downward trend.

Compared with a decade ago, marriage rates for men and women also fell.

In 2025, there were 39.1 marriages per 1,000 unmarried males aged 15 to 49, down from 44.2 in 2015. Among unmarried females in the same age group, the rate fell to 38.1 per 1,000, from 41.1 a decade earlier.

Couples also continued to marry later. The median age at first marriage rose to 31.1 for grooms and 29.6 for brides in 2025, up from 30.3 and 28.2 respectively in 2015.

Despite the decline in marriages, a large majority (94.9 per cent) of married individuals surveyed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development said they were happy with their marriage, while 92.8 per cent said their relationship was going well.

Speaking at the National Family Festival Appreciation Event on Friday, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli noted that recent marriage cohorts have shown greater stability.

"Most married Singaporeans continue to report strong and fulfilling relationships, with nearly 95 per cent of married couples reporting being happily married," he said.

Divorce rates fall

The number of marital dissolutions, including divorces and annulments, also declined in 2025.

SingStat said 7,242 marriages ended in divorce or annulment, down 1.9 per cent from 7,382 in 2024.

Divorce rates for both men and women were lower compared with 2015. 

There were 6.1 marital dissolutions per 1,000 married men aged 20 and above in 2025, down from 7.1 a decade earlier, while the rate among married women aged 20 and above fell from 6.6 to 5.8 per 1,000 over the same period. 

Those who divorced were also older. The median age at divorce rose from 42.9 to 44.3 for men, and from 38.8 to 41.2 for women between 2015 and 2025.

Couples married between five and nine years made up the largest share of divorces, accounting for 27.6 per cent of cases.

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