Consensual Unions Overtake Formal Marriage in Brazil, 2022 Census Shows

Overview

• In 2022, consensual unions accounted for 38.9% of conjugal arrangements, surpassing civil‑and‑religious marriages at 37.9%; civil‑only marriages were 20.5% and religious‑only 2.6%.
• A majority of people aged 10 or older lived with a partner (51.3%), while the share who never cohabited fell to 30.1% and those separated, divorced or widowed rose to 18.6%.
• Same‑sex unions reached 480,000—up 728% from 2010—with most recorded as consensual, according to IBGE.
• Household profiles shifted as couples without children nearly doubled to 24.1% of homes and women became heads of 48% of families.
• Regional and socioeconomic patterns stand out, with Rio de Janeiro leading in separations (21.4%), Santa Catarina highest in unions (58%), lower‑income groups favoring consensual unions, and 34,000 children aged 10–14 self‑reporting unions flagged for child‑protection attention.