Men who make money can't wait to marry. But well-to-do women are in no such hurry. Working women are 50 percent more likely to move in with their partner and 15 percent less likely to marry than women who lack a stable employment history. Men with money, however, are only 13 percent more likely to live with their partner before marriage, but 26 percent more likely to get hitched than men who earn an average salary.
Matin Clarkberg, of Cornell University's Employment and Family Careers Institute, examined data of people surveyed over a 14-year period—covering job history, income, and views on marriage. She notes that men feel ready to wed once they reach a high standard of living because they know they can fulfill the traditional role of breadwinner.
But financially secure women prefer cohabitation, says Clarkberg, so they can focus on their careers without juggling domestic duties. "For women, marriage often entails hanging up the briefcase," she says. "Their housework goes up, and if there are children, the woman tends to become the primary caretaker." But, "cohabiting couples are usually more egalitarian." The live-in woman can devote herself to both the partner and the job.
