MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Great Recession has had the effect of letting the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, according to a recently released study. Don Shelby says that’s no longer breaking news. But one class of worker is seeing a lot less business.

Preachers, justices of the peace, wedding chapels in Las Vegas.

The Great Recession is hurting marriage. Young people looking toward a life of bliss together aren’t stupid. The rush to the alter is slowed by the logic that a marriage will get off to a rocky start, and likely a rocky and sudden end, if you don’t have a job.

The never-married included 46.3 percent of young adults (ages) 25 to 34. It is the first time the share of unmarried adults exceeded those who were married.

Even in this economy, the top 5 percent of American earners saw salary gains. Families making less than $50,000 per household saw their incomes go down.

There is some good news in the bad. The average commute to work dropped to about 25 minutes. The reason is about 10 percent of Americans have no job to which to commute.