Fewer Singaporeans are getting married, but more say they’re happily married: MSF report

SINGAPORE: Fewer couples tied the knot in Singapore last year, continuing a three-year decline in marriages, but new data from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) indicates that marriages are becoming more stable, with fewer couples divorcing within their first decade together and the overwhelming majority of married respondents describing their relationships as happy.

Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli unveiled the 2026 Family Trends Report on Friday (July 10) during a thank-you event held as part of the National Family Festival. The report, now in its third edition, tracks developments in marriage, parenting, family resilience and relationships in Singapore.

According to the report, 24,688 couples registered their marriages in 2025, down 6.2 per cent from 26,328 marriages in 2024. This marks the third straight year that the annual number of marriages has fallen.

MSF attributed the decline largely to fewer civil marriages involving individuals aged between 25 and 34, alongside a drop in the number of marriages registered under Islamic law.

The report also highlighted the continued presence of transnational marriages in Singapore. Around one in four citizen marriages over the past decade involved one spouse who was not a local resident. Among transnational marriages, more than 70 per cent of brides were non-residents.

The profile of non-resident spouses has also changed over time. Compared with 2015, non-resident brides who married Singaporean men in 2025 tended to be older. The proportion of brides below the age of 25 fell from 18.4 per cent to 9.1 per cent over the decade, while those aged 40 and above increased from 10.9 per cent to 19.5 per cent.

Educational attainment among these brides also rose. The share holding university degrees increased from 34.2 per cent in 2015 to 42.6 per cent last year.

Among non-resident grooms, there was also a gradual shift towards older age groups. The proportion aged 35 and above climbed from 35.7 per cent in 2015 to 41.9 per cent in 2025.

Although fewer couples got married last year, the report found that marital stability continued to improve.

The cumulative proportion of couples whose marriages ended within 10 years continued its downward trend. Among couples who married in 2014, 13.5 per cent had dissolved their marriages within a decade, compared with 17 per cent for those who married in 2005. The figure was also lower than the 14.4 per cent recorded for couples who married in 2013.

The report noted that among those whose marriages ended, marital breakdowns most commonly occurred between the fifth and tenth wedding anniversaries.

For the first time, MSF included questions measuring marital quality and satisfaction in its survey.

The findings showed that 94.9 per cent of respondents described themselves as happy in their marriage, while 92.8 per cent said they enjoyed a harmonious relationship with their spouse. In addition, 88.3 per cent said they rarely or never thought about ending their marriage.

However, emotional openness appeared less widespread, with 78.3 per cent saying they frequently confided in their spouse.

The report also pointed to changing parenting patterns, particularly among fathers.

The proportion of fathers taking paid paternity leave increased from 47 per cent in 2016 to 61 per cent in 2024, suggesting that more fathers are taking on childcare responsibilities and that parenting roles are becoming more evenly shared between mothers and fathers.

MSF also highlighted that the Government’s shared parental leave entitlement was expanded from six weeks to 10 weeks from 1 April this year. The ministry encouraged parents to fully utilise the enhanced leave arrangements to strengthen bonds with their children and share the experience of parenthood together.

Beyond marriage and parenting, the report found that family resilience has strengthened.

Overall, 90.7 per cent of surveyed families recorded medium to high family resilience scores in 2025, up from 85.9 per cent in 2023.

The proportion of families classified as having high resilience rose significantly, increasing from 25.1 per cent in 2023 to 34.3 per cent in 2025.

Respondents also reported stronger family relationships, with 89.6 per cent saying they felt close to their family members, compared with 86 per cent two years earlier.

Across all areas measured, families with medium to high resilience achieved their strongest results in communication and problem-solving.

The survey further found that family responsibility remains a widely held value in Singapore.

Among respondents aged between 15 and 64, 95.2 per cent agreed that caring for their parents is their responsibility, up from 93.1 per cent in 2023.

Most respondents said they would provide financial, emotional and physical or psychological support to family members when needed. Those willing to offer such support generally also viewed their families as being more resilient.

The report also examined living arrangements among older Singapore residents. The number of resident seniors living alone has more than doubled over the past decade, rising from 41,200 in 2015 to 88,400 in 2025.

Despite this increase, four in five residents aged 65 and above were still living with either their spouse or their children last year.

This is the third consecutive year that MSF has published the Family Trends Report, which provides an overview of developments in marriage patterns, family relationships, resilience and parenting in Singapore.