NEWS RELEASE--FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                               Date: March 21, 2013

Contact:  Niki Forbing-Orr
Public Information Officer
(208) 334-0693

2011 Vital Statistics report: Idaho’s rate of marriage is the lowest in 60 years but still higher
than the national rate
Data shows a decrease in divorces and births and a slight increase in population

The oldest groom in Idaho in 2011 was 95; the youngest, just 16. The youngest bride was 15, while the oldest was 91.

Marriage continues to be an honorable institution in the state, according to the report 2011 Idaho Vital Statistics, which says that marriages occur at a higher frequency in Idaho than in the United States as a whole. Even so, the state’s marriage rate decreased from 8.8 per 1,000 people in 2010 to 8.6 in 2011. It is the lowest rate of marriage in Idaho in the last 60 years. 

These are the days of our lives, according to Vital Statistics, an annual report compiled by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. It provides data for population, births, deaths, stillbirths, marriages, divorces, and abortions for the state. It also includes county and health district profiles for easy comparison.

“The report is a rich compilation of data that offers insight into the lives of Idahoans,” said Pamela Harder, research analyst supervisor for the department’s Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics. “But it’s just a small sample of the data we have available.” 

The report for 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Idaho.

A few other interesting facts about Idahoans in 2011:

• The most popular name for a girl was a tie between Emma and Sophia in 2011. In 1911, it was Mary, which did not crack the top 20 names in 2011. 
• The most popular boy’s name in 2011 was Mason. In 1911, it was John, which also was not in the top 20 in 2011.
• The state’s population increased just 1.1 percent, from 1,567,582 in 2010 to 1,584,985 in 2011, an increase of 17,403 people.
• Each day in Idaho, there are 61 live births, 38 marriages and 21 divorces and annulments.
• Remembering anniversary dates appears to influence couples’ choices for marriage. The highest number, 313 marriages, occurred on 9-10-11. The second highest, 296, occurred on 11-11-11.
• The number of divorces in Idaho decreased by 4.5 percent, from 8,136 in 2010 to 7,773 in 2011. The oldest divorcee was 95 years old. The shortest marriage lasted 11 days.
• Idaho’s birth rate dropped for the fifth straight year, from 16.7 births per thousand people in 2007 to 14.1 in 2011. North Central District Health Department in central Idaho reported the lowest rate, 10.8, while people living in Eastern Idaho Public Health District had the highest birth rate, at 19 births per 1,000 people.
• A sampling of the most unique names for baby girls in 2011: Asma, Candelaria, Elphaba, Kyraeveryn, and Xxoie.
• A sampling of the most unique names for baby boys in 2011: Adakiss, Dagr, Diggory, Pistol, and Pragedis.
• The top two causes of death in Idaho are cancer and heart disease.
• The highest number of deaths in 2011 occurred in March. The lowest number was in August. 

The Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics is responsible for managing the state’s vital records program, as well as for providing health statistics and analysis. The report is used by Health and Welfare programs and other state departments, hospitals, libraries, funeral homes, county offices, media, school districts and universities and colleges in Idaho, among others. Data is used for planning, research, school work and, interestingly enough, to find out the most popular baby name for the year.

The report is available online.