Skewed Marriage Markets and Sex Ratios of Finnish People in their Twenties

Abstract

This article studies variation in regional sex ratios in Finland and outlines potential implications of the skewed sex ratios for family formation patterns. Difficulties in finding a suitable partner are typically mentioned as one of the most important reasons for remaining childless, and we explore if this reason is apparent structurally at the regional macro level. We found significant variation in sex ratios in age-groups 18–30 at the regional and sub-regional levels. Of the whole 20–29-year old population in Finland, almost 50 percent live in sub-region areas with a male surplus. As expected, a higher proportion of men compared to women appears to increase fertility of women in younger age groups. Contrary to expectations, high male-female ratios were not related to higher proportion of women living with a partner

Why fertility has been declining in Finland after the Global Recession?

“…Since 1990, the male-to-female ratio has become more skewed (Sotkanet 2019b). Sub-regional variation in the male-to-female ratio is most likely caused by female educational migration to university cities (Lainiala and Miettinen 2014). Girls systematically outperform boys throughout the educational system in Finland.…”

All-time low period fertility in Finland: drivers, tempo effects, and cohort implications

“…Finland, a high regional male-female ratio has been shown to increase fertility among younger women (Lainiala and Miettinen 2014) and not having a partner is cited among the most important subjective reasons for postponing or abandoning childbearing (Miettinen 2015). Additionally, lifestyle reasons may be influencing fertility developments in Finland.…”

Migration patterns of parents, children and siblings: Evidence for patrilocality in contemporary Finland

“…This has led to a situation where in some regions of Finland, the male/female ratio is as high as 1.3–1.4 for Finns aged 20–25 years. These skewed sex ratios of Finns in their affect how many Finns end up unmarried and/or childless and partly explain the high rates of childlessness in Finland (Lainiala & Miettinen, ).…”

“…On the one hand, the educational expansion and urbanisation drive young people to move to university towns and families to move into larger cities or their vicinities (e.g., Lehtonen & Tykkyläinen, ). Because Finnish women are more highly educated than men, regional migration created quite unbalanced sex ratios on a municipal and regional level (Lainiala & Miettinen, ). On the other hand, public services provide help with childcare and care for the elderly, which alleviates the need for kin help.…”