the rise of women s education raises their minimum standards for acceptable matches lessens their economic need for marriage and in theory increases the chances that they may choose not to many van bavel less welleducated men are likely to be the main losers as they are more likely to remain single than any other group de hauw et al married couples and civil unions are the most common arrangements but about of people aged and over oecdwide ie one in six of all partnered adults cohabit informally