Nonmarital relationships: Introduction

In the United States today, adults live in a variety of nonmarital relationships and situations, ranging from committed partners who cohabit, to people who cohabit with differing levels of commitment, to committed partners who live apart. An increasing number are single or in families of choice with non-intimate partners, while some intimate partners are in relationships with multiple people at the same time. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of these relationship forms differently. The coming years will reveal the extent to which these impacts will alter the social and legal landscape around nonmarital relationships.