If you’re single and tired of your grandma asking when you’re finally going to get married, here’s a science-backed fact you can give her next time she starts in: according to the most recent data, the average age people are getting married right now is the highest it’s ever been in recorded history. Take that, granny!
The most recent numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau show that in 2017, most brides getting married for the first time were 27.4 years old, on average. For men, the age is a little older at 29.5-years. And that’s the longest Americans have ever waited to get hitched. Back in 1990, the average age for women was 24, in 1980 it was 22 and in the 1950s, it was only 20.
So why are people holding off on tying the knot? Millennials are okay with exploring and experimenting in their 20s instead of feeling like they have to be searching for a life partner. They’re okay with playing the field for longer and those in relationships don’t feel pressured with the ultimate goal of getting married as soon as possible.
Another reason couples aren’t rushing to the altar today is that more unmarried couples are shacking up. In 2016, there were 18-million single Americans living with their S.O., up 29% from 2007, according to the Pew Research Center. So plenty of people are in committed long-term relationships, they just don’t feel pressured to say “I do” anytime soon.
Source: Women's Health