In 2021, 37,768 couples entered into legal cohabitation. This is a slight increase of 4% compared to 2020, but it is still far below the 2019 level (40,801 declarations).
There were relatively more couples ending their legal cohabitation (+12%), but again this remains well below the 2019 level.
The average duration of legal cohabitation before termination continues to increase: from 5.2 years in 2020 to 5.4 years in 2021.
In 2021, marriage was the reason for ending a legal cohabitation in 54.1% of cases and the declaration by mutual agreement in 36.4% of cases.
Legal cohabitation around the age of 31
In 2021, unmarried people entered into legal cohabitation for the first time around the age of 31: on average at 31.8 for the first cohabitant and 29.9 for the second. The age difference in the couple remains stable: 1.8 years for legal cohabitants.