Let’s cover the definition first – interracial marriage is a type of marriage between spouses who belong to different ethnicities or races. Throughout history, these types of marriages were banned in Nazi Germany, Apartheid South Africa, and the United States, as they were considered harmful to the purity of a culture or race. Thankfully, in 2020, if two people of different ethnic, racial, or religious backgrounds happen to love each other unconditionally, no one can legally stop them from saying, ”I do.” Here are the most important interracial marriage statistics you need to know.
Top 10 Interracial Marriage Statistics
- Since 1980, the number of individuals of African descent marrying someone of a different ethnicity or race has increased from 5% to 18%.
- 26% of Hispanic newlywed men have a spouse of a different ethnicity or race.
- The interracial percentage of married couples in the US among individuals with a bachelor’s degree or a higher degree is 19%.
- 46% of Hispanic newlywed interracial couples have a bachelor’s degree.
- 49% of Democrats and those who lean to the Democratic Party believe that interracial marriage is beneficial for the society.
- Interracial marriage statistics in South Korea reveal that there were 22,698 marriages between a South Korean and a foreigner in 2018.
- More than 63% of interracial marriages in South Korea are between South Korean men and foreign-born women, typically from South-east Asian countries.
- In general, 41% of interracial couples divorce by the 10th year of marriage.
- 44% of babies born in Hawaii in 2015 were multiethnic or multiracial.
- 22% of Americans believe that mixed kids are good for society.
Statistics on Interracial Marriage in the United States
1. Interracial marriage became legal in America in 1967.
(PewResearch)
Marriage between two people belonging to different races in America has been fully legal in all states since the Supreme Court in 1967 ruled in the case of Loving v. Virginia. Also, many states have chosen to legalize interracial marriage much sooner. In fact, the Loving decision helped banish the interracial marriage prohibition, which was still active in 17 states at the time.
2. How many marriages in the US are interracial? 10% of the population or 11 million people are in interracial marriages in America.
(PewResearch)
Since the Virginia ruling eliminated the state laws banning interracial marriage, the share of intermarried newlyweds went from 1 in 33 to 1 in 6 in 2015. In fact, in 2015, 17% of newlyweds were married to an individual of a different ethnicity or race.
3. Since 1980, the number of African-descent individuals marrying someone of a different ethnicity or race has increased from 5% to 18%.
(PewSocialTrends)
The stats on the different types of interracial couples reveal that the most significant increase in intermarriage happened among the newlyweds of African descent. In comparison, the percentage of Caucasian newlyweds entering interracial marriages increased from 4% to 11%.
4. However, 49% of Asian newlyweds have a spouse of a different ethnicity or race.
(PewSocialTrends)
Also, around 39% of Hispanics born in America have a spouse of a different ethnicity or race. Nevertheless, the stats are different for Asians and Hispanics who were not born in the US; 29% of Asians and 27% of Hispanics were interracially married in 2015.
5. Interracial marriage statistics by race reveal that 36% of newlywed Asian women have a spouse of a different ethnicity or race.
(PewSocialTrends)
In comparison, 21% of newlywed Asian men are intermarried in the United States. When it comes to those of African descent, 24% of African American men are newly intermarried, compared to 12% of African American women.
6. 26% of Hispanic newlywed men have a spouse of a different ethnicity or race.
(PewSocialTrends)
Also, 28% of Hispanic newlywed women entered interracial marriage. When it comes to Caucasians, 12% of recently intermarried are Caucasian men, and 10% are Caucasian women.
7. Interracial marriage statistics show that 39% of Americans believe that marrying someone of a different ethnicity or race is good for society.
(PewSocialTrends)
According to a survey from 2017, the share of adults who claim that interracial marriages are good for Americans has risen by 15% in just seven years. Also, the percentage of non-African American adults opposing a close relative marrying an individual of African descent today stands at 14%, as opposed to 63% in 1990.
8. The interracial marriage percentage in the US among individuals with a bachelor’s degree or a higher degree is 19%.
(PewSocialTrends)
In comparison, 14% of newlyweds who enter an interracial marriage in the United States have only completed their secondary education, or not even that. Furthermore, 18% of newlyweds in interracial marriages have some college experience.
9. 46% of Hispanic newlywed interracial couples have a bachelor’s degree.
(PewSocialTrends)
The most impressive educational gap can be seen among Hispanics, among which 16% of newlyweds in interracial marriages have a high school diploma or less. When it comes to African American newlyweds, the statistics on interracial marriage reveal that 21% have a bachelor’s degree, and 15% have a high school diploma or less.
10. 42% of intermarried couples in the United States consist of a Hispanic and a Caucasian spouse.
(PewSocialTrends)
The findings show that 15% of interracial marriages are between a Caucasian and an Asian spouse, 12% are between a Caucasian and a multiracial spouse, and 11% of interracial marriages include a Caucasian and an African American partner. Also, 18% of newlyweds in metropolitan areas are intermarried, compared to 11% of newlyweds in non-metropolitan areas.
11. 49% of Democrats and those who lean to the Democratic Party believe that interracial marriage is beneficial for the society.
(PewSocialTrends)
Facts on the interracial marriage statistics and census show that only 28% of Republicans and those who lean to the Republic Party claim that interracial marriage is a good thing for Americans. Stats also show that 18% of interracial newlyweds are in their 30s, whereas 13% are 50 years old or older.
12. 56% of survey participants aged 18-29 believe that TV shows should feature more interracial couples.
(Statista)
The survey from 2018 examined the representation of interracial couples in popular American TV shows. 43% of female participants stated that these TV shows need more interracial couples, and in total, 39% of respondents claimed these relationships should be more frequent on TV.
13. Interracial marriage statistics from 2018 reveal that Honolulu, Hawaii, has the highest rate of interracial marriages in America, 42% of all marriages.
(NCBI; PewResearch)
Las Vegas, Nevada, comes in second place, with 31% of all marriages being interracial, followed by Santa Barbara, California, with 30%. Nevertheless, the lowest rates of interracial marriages were observed in Birmingham, Alabama, with 6% and Jackson, Mississippi, with only 3%.
Global Interracial Marriage Statistics
14. Interracial marriage statistics for the UK show that inter-ethnic couples were more likely to cohabit (12%) than married individuals or those in civil partnerships (8%).
(Office for National Statistics)
Also, the most significant difference between married individuals and those cohabiting was witnessed in Asian ethnic groups. In fact, Bangladeshi couples cohabiting were almost seven times more likely to be in an interracial relationship as opposed to Bangladeshis that were in a civil partnership or married.
15. According to interracial marriage statistics from 2019, 67% of Indians between the ages of 18-21 support interracial marriages in the country.
(Statista)
A survey in India analyzing the opinions of young individuals across Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, and Kochi found that more than half of the respondents approve of inter-caste and inter-faith marriages. However, 33% were not accepting of interracial marriage in India.
16. Interracial marriage statistics in South Korea reveal that there were 22,698 marriages between a South Korean and a foreigner in 2018.
(Statista; StraitsTimes)
According to marriage statistics by race from 2018, there were 16,608 South Korean men and 6,090 South Korean women who had a foreign spouse. According to data, South Korea is home to around 1.7 million foreigners and 795,000 multicultural family members.
17. More than 63% of interracial marriages in South Korea are between South Korean men and foreign-born women, typically from South-east Asian countries.
(StraitsTimes)
Also, more than half of interracial marriages in the country are between local men and women from Japan or China. On the other hand, 24% of South Korean women are married to foreign men.
18. According to interracial marriage articles, the percentage of interracial marriages in Norway is just below 25%.
(ResearchGate)
Also, the percentage in northern Europe, in countries such as Iceland, Sweden and Denmark varies between 11% and 16%. Furthermore, Finland has shown a staggering increase in interracial marriages compared to the rates in the country two decades ago.
Interracial Divorce Statistics
19. In general, 41% of interracial couples divorce by the 10th year of marriage.
(Jstor)
Furthermore, according to interracial marriage and divorce statistics by Bramlett and Mosher, 31% of same-race married couples divorce after ten years of marital life. Some of the most common challenges many interracial couples may need to face include differences in cultures and traditions.
20. Based on research, 20% of African American-Caucasian couples divorce compared with 13.5% of Hispanic-Caucasian couples.
(NCBI)
Furthermore, the researchers found that 8.4% of Asian-Caucasian married couples are likely to divorce or separate. The results hint that interracial couples, especially those with an African American or Hispanic partner, are significantly more likely to divorce compared to couples belonging to the same race.
Mixed Kids Statistics
21. According to interracial marriage statistics from 2017, 42% of multiethnic or multiracial kids are born from one Hispanic parent and one non-Hispanic Caucasian parent.
(PewResearch)
Also, data shows that kids from one Caucasian and one Asian parent make up 14%, whereas babies born from one Caucasian and one African American parent make up 10%. The analysis conducted by Pew Research found that the number of multiethnic or multiracial kids make up 14% of babies born in 2015.
22. 44% of babies born in Hawaii in 2015 were multiethnic or multiracial.
(PewResearch)
However, interracial marriage statistics by state also show that only 4% of children under the age of one in Vermont in 2015 were multiethnic or multiracial. According to researchers, the country’s increase in ethnic and racial ethnicity is the reason why mixed babies are a “trend.”
23. 22% of Americans believe that mixed kids are good for society.
(HuffPost)
However, interracial marriage articles also show that around 11% claim that multiethnic or multiracial babies are harmful to American society. Nevertheless, the majority of citizens in the United States believe that it does not make a drastic difference.
24. The youth statistics reveal that the rate of the multiracial kid and adolescent population in America has increased by 32%.
(APA)
Furthermore, the facts show that children who are multiracial are currently the biggest demographic group among United States citizens who are younger than 18. Experts believe that the huge growth can be explained by the high number of interracial marriages and families.
FAQ
How many mixed race couples are there in the UK?
(BBC)
Even though interracial relationships may seem like a common thing in the United Kingdom, statistics show that they comprise 7% of all relationships in the country. When it comes to individuals living in the United Kingdom who consider themselves as “mixed,” the figures show 1.2% of the total population in the country. In numbers, this translates to around 677,177 individuals.
What percentage of the population is biracial?
(Census.gov)
According to the 2017 US census, around 5.6% of the total population in the United States identifies as multiracial. The most common multiracial groups in America include Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Métis Americans, and Louisiana Creoles. Furthermore, there are around 2.4 million of multiracial Americans living in the Western United States, and 1.8 million in the Southern United States.
Can online dating sites help in interracial dating?
(Maxim)
According to interracial dating statistics from 2018, 92% of users on Tinder believe that online dating makes it easier to meet and date people of different races or ethnicities. The study surveyed more than 4,000 respondents and found that 65% of singles are open-minded about dating someone outside their ethnicity or race.
Conclusion
Today, if you are in love with someone and want to proclaim your love to the world by getting married, it does not matter whether your partner is African American, Caucasian, Asian, or of another ethnicity. Hopefully, these interracial marriage statistics have helped you realize that times are changing, and an increasing number of people are embracing interracial relationships. Finally, if you yourself are in an interracial relationship or marriage, the key to a successful marriage always lies in communication.
