By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – A new report from the Alabama Center for Health Statistics says the median age for first-time brides last year was 23. The median age for first-time grooms was 25. The national average for both groups was 26. Don Bogie, a sociologist at Auburn University Montgomery, says Southern culture, religious beliefs and socio-economic status contribute to Alabama residents marrying earlier than the national average. Alabama also has the lowest percentage of any state in the country for unmarried partners living together. The Census Bureau says it was just three percent last year.