Hong Kong residents are marrying later, marrying less, and divorcing more, according to long-term trends highlighted in the latest Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD).
The January 2026 issue of the digest features a special article titled “Marriage and Divorce Trends in Hong Kong, 1991 to 2024”, which analyses changes in marital patterns over more than three decades.
The data shows a clear shift towards marriage postponement and non-marriage among both men and women.
In 2021, 30.9% of males and 27.0% of females had never been married, excluding foreign domestic helpers. This shows a significant rise compared to the early 1990s.
Median ages at first marriage have also climbed steadily. For men, the median age increased from 29.1 in 1991 to 32.6 in 2024, while for women it rose from 26.2 to 31.0 over the same period, narrowing the age gap between spouses.
Marriage registrations have fluctuated but show an overall downward trend in recent years. The number of registered marriages fell from 42,568 in 1991 to 32,825 in 2001, before rebounding to a peak of 60,459 in 2012. Since then, registrations have declined again, reaching 44,196 in 2024.
At the same time, cross-boundary marriages involving Mainland China have become increasingly common.
The proportion of Hong Kong women marrying Mainland men rose sharply from 6.1% of all cross-boundary marriages in 1991 to 40.0% in 2024.
Divorce trends have also intensified. Over the past three decades, the number of divorces has increased steadily, with the crude divorce rate rising from 1.11 per 1,000 population in 1991 to 2.52 in 2024.
According to C&SD, the findings offer a comprehensive picture of how social norms, economic pressures, and demographic changes have reshaped family formation in Hong Kong over time.
Shahriena Shukri is a journalist covering business and economic news in Malaysia, providing insights on market trends, corporate developments, and financial policies. More about Shahriena Shukri
