Share of women who are married or in a union in India
India: Share of women who are married or in a union was 13.2% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of women who are married or in a union in India, 1970–2020
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of women who are married or in a union in India stood at 13.2%. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.3% on the previous year and down 35.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in India peaked at 56.3% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 13.2%, in 2020.
That places India 52nd out of 221 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Share of women who are married or in a union in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 56.3% | — |
| 1971 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 55.4% | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 54.4% | -1.7% |
| 1974 | 53.5% | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 52.6% | -1.8% |
| 1976 | 51.6% | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 50.7% | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 49.8% | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 48.8% | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 47.9% | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 46.9% | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 46.0% | -2.0% |
| 1983 | 45.1% | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 44.1% | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 43.2% | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 42.3% | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 41.3% | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 40.4% | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 39.4% | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 38.5% | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 37.6% | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 36.6% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 35.7% | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 34.8% | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 33.8% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 32.9% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 31.0% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 30.1% | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 29.1% | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 28.2% | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 27.3% | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 26.3% | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 25.4% | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 24.4% | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 23.5% | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 22.8% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 22.0% | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 21.3% | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 20.6% | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 19.8% | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 19.1% | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 18.4% | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 17.6% | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 16.9% | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 16.1% | -4.4% |
| 2017 | 15.4% | -4.6% |
| 2018 | 14.7% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 13.9% | -5.0% |
| 2020 | 13.2% | -5.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 52.9% | 48.8% | 56.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 43.7% | 39.4% | 47.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.3% | 30.1% | 38.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.0% | 21.3% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.2% | 13.9% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.2% | 13.2% | 13.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More gender data for India
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 341,454 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.5667 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 10.96 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 11.71 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 10.92 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 11.70 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 10.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 11.70 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 10.88 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 11.71 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are married or in a union in India?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in India was 13.2% in 2020, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 56.3% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.2% in 2020.
- How does India rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- India ranks 52nd out of 221 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.