Male marriage squeeze and a sociodemographic portrait of involuntary bachelors in rural China

This study uses, primarily, the 2020 National Population Census data to comprehensively examine the phenomenon of the “male marriage squeeze” and provide a socio-demographic portrait of involuntary bachelors in rural China. The descriptive findings make clear the pronounced male marriage squeeze in rural China. In 2020, China recorded its highest historical sex ratio of marriageable population, reaching 110. The age-specific proportions of never-married men surpass those of women, particularly in rural areas where a significant proportion of men remain unmarried throughout their lives. Between 2010 and 2020, men in rural areas exhibited a notable trend of delayed marriage. The likelihood of rural men getting married steadily declined during this decade, with rural men significantly less likely to get married than urban men. In China, the concentration of involuntary bachelors is mainly in rural areas, characterized by lower socioeconomic status, and inferior living conditions. While educational qualification among involuntary bachelors in rural areas has improved, it still lags behind that of currently or previously married men. Another problem is that the elderly population in rural areas faces resource scarcity, increasing the reliance on the minimum subsistence allowance. Elderly involuntary bachelors are generally in poorer health than their married peers, and the health disparity is widening. To make matters worse, a high percentage of these men live alone.