Cohabitation on the rise in Poland as marriage rates decline

The number of unmarried couples living together in Poland has surged over the past decade, nearly tripling to account for about 8 percent of all families, while the number of marriages continues to fall, according to national statistics.

The number of couples living together outside marriage in Poland has almost tripled in the past decade, now accounting for around 8 percent of all families, according to official data.

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Data from Statistics Poland (GUS) show that 895,443 cohabiting couples were recorded in the 2021 National Census, up from 316,505 in 2011, a nearly threefold increase in just 10 years.

By 2023, such relationships accounted for almost 8 percent of all families in the country, compared with 3 percent a decade earlier.

The highest rates of cohabitation are found in western Poland, where these unions make up more than 10 percent of families, while the lowest figures are seen in the more traditional eastern regions, where the share is around 5 to 6 percent.

The shift comes amid a steady decline in marriage rates nationwide, with about 146,000 weddings registered in 2023 compared with nearly 190,000 in 2015.

Ujawniają szczegóły projektu o związkach partnerskich. Ma zawierać około 20 uprawnień dla par, które nie chcą lub nie mogą zawrzeć małżeństwa.https://t.co/igmEiYH8r2

— Interia (@Int_Wydarzenia) October 11, 2025

(mp/gs)

Source: GUS/PAP