Now to your specific question: how to talk to your partner about cohabitation without using statistics? There are two main points I would stress when talking about this with a partner. (1) It can be really tough and overwhelming to make sense of all of the intricacies of the research on cohabitation (a post on this coming soon) but one thing that is clear is that the research does NOT suggest that cohabitation benefits your relationship in any way (most research has shown risks). It does not increase satisfaction, marital longevity, or happiness. In a nutshell, cohabitation may cause harm or it may not but it certainly will not benefit your relationship. (2) Another point I would highlight is the symbolic aspect of moving in together, which is almost completely absent from the research on this topic. Getting married and setting up a home together and spending that first night in your place as a married couple is powerful, special and sacred. That isn’t something that you can get back or get a do-over plus the rest of your life you will spend under one roof, so why rush it?!