NEW REPORT: How the Collapse of Family is Stunting the Nation’s Growth
Center for Christian Virtue’s Hope and a Future report dives deep into how the breakdown of family is driving child poverty, addiction, violence, and worsening educational outcomes
COLUMBUS–A new report measures how the decline of marriage and the rise of homes without married fathers has led to dramatic increases in child poverty, violence in our communities, and crashing educational outcomes. The report also proposes practical and attainable solutions for lawmakers, churches, and marketplace leaders to help right the course.
The 2025 Hope and a Future report from Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) reveals the disastrous effects the decline of marriage and collapse of the family has had on Ohio and America.
CCV commissioned the Institute for Family Studies and Professor Brad Wilcox, the Melville Foundation Jefferson Scholars Foundation University Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia, to conduct the research in the report.
"At the root of what is hurting our communities is broken families," said Aaron Baer, President of Center for Christian Virtue. "The Hope and a Future report reveals some devastating realities about the challenges our children face, but also provides real solutions about righting the course in Ohio and America."
The report includes the first edition of the Family Structure Index, which ranks all 50 states according to the health of their family culture. The Index analyzes demographic and fertility data to investigate which states are home to the strongest, most stable, and most sustainable families–thereby increasing the prospects for happy and healthy children. Utah ranks at the top, and Rhode Island ranks last.
"Right now, the American dream is out of reach for too many men, women, and children across Ohio," said Brad Wilcox, author of the Hope and a Future report. "One key to saving the dream in Ohio is to strengthen and stabilize family life across the state. This is especially important because Ohio ranks 29th on the new Family Structure Index from CCV and the Institute for Family Studies (IFS)."
Dive Deeper Into the Report
Wednesday, February 19, 10:00 to 11:00 am
Join this special livestream with CCV President Aaron Baer, CCV Policy Director David Mahan, CCV Senior Fellow for Strategic Initiatives Peter Range, and report author Brad Wilcox!
Here are five key takeaways from the Hope and a Future report:
1) Ohio Ranks 29th on the Family Structure Index
A new index developed by Professor Brad Wilcox and Professor Nick Zill, the Family Structure Index is designed to tap the extent to which states have strong, stable, and sustainable families. Ohio is ranked below the national average at 29th.
2) 42% of Ohio Children Were Born to Unmarried Parents
Ohio has a higher share of children born out of wedlock than the national average. This high rate of non-marital childbearing fuels instability.
3) 50% Child Poverty Rate in Youngstown
In Youngstown, 68% of children are born into marriage-less households, and 50% of children are in poverty. Meanwhile, in New Albany, 8% of children are born into marriage-less households, and only 4% of children are in poverty. This trend tracks across Ohio: the more marriage decreases in parenthood, the more child poverty increases.
4) Ohio Ranks 28th in On-Time Graduation
Comparatively high family instability across the state is undoubtedly one reason Ohio ranked 28th in on-time high school graduation. We know that states with a greater share of married parents have substantially higher graduation rates, even after controlling for states’ median income, race/ethnicity, education level, and age composition.
5) 12x More Violence
Ohio cities with a greater percentage of children raised in married households have far less violent crime. Compare Dublin, where 86 percent of children are raised by married parents, to Canton, where only 34 percent of children are raised with married parents. Canton experiences 12 times the number of violent crime incidents than Dublin. While many factors contribute to violence in communities, family structure is undeniably impactful.
The Hope and a Future report is available as a free digital download at CCV.org/Hope. The full Family Structure Index is available at CCV.org/FamilyIndex.
For more information, contact CCV at 513-733-5775 or contact@ccv.org. For media inquiries, email media@ccv.org.
As Ohio's largest Christian public policy organization, Center for Christian Virtue seeks the good of our neighbors by advocating for public policy that reflects the truth of the Gospel.
###
