More women in America are choosing to remain single.

According to a recent New York Times analysis of census data, there are more single women in America today than there are married women.

It doesn't seem like too many people are surprised.

Tamara Jackson has spent many years in front of a book, studying to become a radiologist, and she is now completing her residency at Vanderbilt University Hospital. Jackson is 33-years-old and single.

She said her career, and her training to become a doctor has been her priority. She said, "This training just happens to occur when women are traditionally getting married...and having kids"

Jackson said she enjoys her independence, and she is not alone as 51% of women are now considered single according to the latest census information. Jackson still wonders what people will think of her single status.

"I worry people hear I am a 30-something woman living alone and that will somehow conjure images of Bridget Jones and I'm at home eating ice cream by the gallon, reading self-help books about how to find a man, and drowning my sorrows in vodka and Celine Dion, but its not like that all," she said.

Linda Manning, the director of Vanderbilt's Women Center, thinks that negativestereotype of single women is disappearing because there are so many of them. "This is a trend that has been occurring for quite some time," she said.

Manning, however, said the statistics are not a sign that marriage is disappearing; its just being delayed. She said women are marrying older. In 1950, 42% 15 to 24-year-old women were married. Today, less than 16% are.

"The period of adolescence is taking longer for most people," Manning said. "They are living at home longer, they are getting more education. They're delaying marriage for all of those reasons."

She said the numbers arealso higher because women are living longer, and because they include all women who are living alone.

"Many women are married, but their spouses are not at home," she said. "They may be deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan and those are included in these statistics, as well."

Professor Manning said women are now living with men by choice and not for financial security, and Tamara agrees.

"Marriage is a choice, even a luxury for women of this generation, as opposed to a necessity as maybe it was for my mother's and grandmother's generations," she said. Jackson said when she gets married, she wants to make sure she does it right the first time.