Trends and differentials in jordanian marriage behavior : marriage timing, spousal characteristics, household structure and matrimonial expenditures

Abstract EN

This paper employs the 2010 Jordan Labor Market Panel Survey to analyze patterns in marriage behavior over time and across socio-demographic groups.

Using retrospective reports from ever-married respondents, I describe the postponement of first marriage to successively older ages for both men and women, and I trace the decline in consanguinity and the rise in nuclear family living arrangements over time.

I find that husbands’ age seniority has fluctuated over time, but that the education gap between husbands and wives has closed over successive marriage cohorts.

I also describe how these trends differ between rural and urban residents, as well as between members of different regional and socioeconomic groups in Jordan.

Finally, I analyze trends in matrimonial expenditures in Jordan, finding that contrary to popular discourse, the costs of marriage have not increased in recent years.

I describe variations over time in the components of marriage costs, and examine how these differ for various socio-demographic groups.