According to the latest U.S. Census data, some jobs are more likely than others to lead two coworkers to the altar. Savvy entrepreneurs have taken note, and they have responded with dating websites that cater to lawyers and doctors who seek a mate who understands their language and long hours. Specialty sites have popped up for teachers, farmers and other groups. Just like Tinder and OKCupid, they all share a common goal: to match people with enough compatibility so they can forge a relationship on their own after they have met. The niche market goes one step further by highlighting common professional traits that close the gap between a professional life and a personal one. The tagline for FarmersOnly.com reads, "City folks just don't get it."
Who Is Pairing Up?
Dan Kopf of Priceonomics worked with responses from 40 million opposite-sex couples and analyzed the U.S. Census information. The professions in which people were most inclined toward dating their own include law, farming and education. Construction workers, miners and financial planners were least inclined to marry within ranks. Approximately 25 percent of farmers, foresters and people in the fishing industry are married to a person in the same field. Kopf believes that one of the reasons for this is because these industries tend to be situated in rural areas where there are not as many different kinds of jobs as there are in the city. In addition, there proved to be a more even balance of men and women among some professions, such as sales, versus others, such as the military, which remains a male-dominated area. Traditionally female-centric jobs, such as personal care and health support services, show a similar trend. It is interesting that while these jobs show the least percentage of intermarriage, the minority sex in these industries frequently marries within. Examples of professions that still tip toward members of one sex or the other include:
- Hairdresser
- Construction
- Mineral and resource extraction
Blurring the Lines
While Kopf cites job diversity, or the lack thereof, as a theory for same-job marriages, there is an argument to be made for simplification. As scores of television programs have illustrated, professions such as law and medicine require an intensity and devotion that may leave little time to explore society outside of work. What character in "Grey's Anatomy" sustained a relationship with anyone who worked outside the hospital? There is no need to apologize for or explain huge workloads, long hours and emergency phone calls to someone who handles the same thing it is the devil you know. When one marries within an industry or profession, the joys of success may be that much sweeter as well. Married farmers may bend together at the will of the weather, but they will also bask united in the glow of a good harvest. Many people may decide, at the end of the day, that it is preferable to keep company with someone who understands the demands and intricacies of the job.
Potential Pitfalls
There may be drawbacks to marrying someone with the same job. There is less likelihood that two people can leave their work at the office when they share similar or equal labor. Farming may be the exception, as it often concretely encompasses an entire way of life. Farming and fishing also require a type of cooperation that may not be integral to other professions. The data does not specifically show how these relationships operate only that they exist. Farming, as a family business, is a different animal than two lawyers working for a corporate firm. When couples work in the same field, how do they manage times when one person advances over another, or when someone loses his or her position? Blurring the lines between the professional and the personal may require couples to draw some new boundaries of their own.
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