Forget bridal white—Gen Z is painting a different picture, with nearly 9 in 10 remaining single by age 25 as this generation redefines relationships on their own terms.
Key Takeaways
- Only 10% of Gen Z (ages 18-27) are currently married as of 2023
- Gen Z marriage rate is 4.2 per 1,000 population in 2022, down from 6.1 in 2019
- Just 26% of Gen Z women aged 25-29 are married, compared to 44% in 1990
- Average age of first marriage for Gen Z women is 28.5 years as of 2023
- Gen Z men marry at average 30.2 years, up 3 years from 2010
- 50% of Gen Z not marrying until after 30
- 68% of Gen Z believe marriage is outdated
- 57% Gen Z prioritize personal growth over marriage
- Only 28% Gen Z see marriage as essential for family
- 53% of Gen Z cite financial instability as top reason not marrying
- Student debt causes 42% Gen Z to delay marriage
- 61% Gen Z say high housing costs prevent marriage
- Gen Z marriage rates 40% lower than Millennials at same age
- Gen Z cohabiting 2x more than Gen X at 20s start
- Millennials 2.5x more likely married by 25 than Gen Z
Gen Z is delaying marriage more than any previous generation.
Age and Timing of Marriage
- Average age of first marriage for Gen Z women is 28.5 years as of 2023
- Gen Z men marry at average 30.2 years, up 3 years from 2010
- 50% of Gen Z not marrying until after 30
- Gen Z delaying marriage by 4 years vs Millennials
- By age 25, only 12% Gen Z married vs 25% Gen X
- Gen Z first marriage median age 29.1 for college grads
- 70% Gen Z plan to marry after career stability
- Gen Z women median marriage age rose to 27.8 from 26.1 in decade
- 40% Gen Z expect to marry between 28-32
- Gen Z postponing marriage due to student debt, average delay 2.5 years
- High school only Gen Z marry at 24.5 average
- Gen Z in pandemic delayed weddings by 1.8 years average
- 55% Gen Z want to marry by 30 but only 20% do
- Gen Z rural marry 2 years earlier than urban
- Gen Z median age at remarriage 32.4
- 65% Gen Z cite career as reason for delaying till 30+
- Gen Z college women marry at 29.5 vs men 30.8
- 45% Gen Z under 25 say too young to marry now
- Gen Z first marriage age up 5 years since 1990
- 60% Gen Z plan marriage post-27
- Gen Z delay due to housing costs, avg 3 year postponement
- 75% Gen Z not engaged before 25
- Gen Z men in trades marry at 26.2 avg
- Projected Gen Z peak marriage age 31.5
- 52% Gen Z view 30 as ideal marriage age
- Gen Z LGBTQ+ first marriage avg 29.8
Age and Timing of Marriage Interpretation
Gen Z is taking its sweet time walking down the aisle, meticulously building a life worth sharing before saying "I do," because a strong foundation is now considered the most romantic gesture of all.
Attitudes Towards Marriage
- 68% of Gen Z believe marriage is outdated
- 57% Gen Z prioritize personal growth over marriage
- Only 28% Gen Z see marriage as essential for family
- 74% Gen Z support same-sex marriage, highest ever
- 40% Gen Z think marriage benefits society less now
- Gen Z 62% view cohabitation as equal to marriage
- 51% Gen Z say love is enough without marriage
- Only 17% Gen Z rank marriage as top achievement goal
- 69% Gen Z favor prenups before marriage
- 45% Gen Z see marriage as financial partnership only
- Gen Z women 55% say no rush to marry
- 66% Gen Z believe divorce too easy, affects marriage view
- 32% Gen Z prioritize marriage less than career success
- Gen Z 78% accept interracial marriage
- 49% Gen Z think marriage not necessary for happiness
- 61% Gen Z view marriage as romantic but optional
- Only 23% Gen Z see kids requiring marriage
- 70% Gen Z support polyamory in relationships pre-marriage
- Gen Z men 48% less traditional on marriage roles
- 54% Gen Z fear divorce impacts marriage positivity
- 67% Gen Z value emotional compatibility over marriage
- 39% Gen Z say social media changes marriage expectations
- Gen Z 80% accept unmarried parents
- 46% Gen Z prioritize mental health over marriage timelines
- 59% Gen Z see marriage as customizable, not traditional
- 44% Gen Z influenced by celebrity non-marriages
- Only 19% Gen Z plan traditional wedding if marrying
- 72% Gen Z support gender-neutral marriage vows
Attitudes Towards Marriage Interpretation
Gen Z sees marriage not as a societal blueprint but as a bespoke, optional accessory—one they’re perfectly content to try on in the fitting room of life, with a prenup in hand and an escape hatch clearly marked, while firmly believing that the ultimate commitment is to their own growth and happiness.
Comparisons with Previous Generations
- Gen Z marriage rates 40% lower than Millennials at same age
- Gen Z cohabiting 2x more than Gen X at 20s start
- Millennials 2.5x more likely married by 25 than Gen Z
- Gen Z single rate 20% higher than Boomers ever were
- Gen X married at 23 avg vs Gen Z 28+
- Silent Gen 70% married by 30 vs Gen Z projected 40%
- Gen Z women marriage age 5 years later than Silent Gen
- Millennials had 300k marriages at Gen Z age vs 150k
- Gen Z attitudes 30% less pro-marriage than Millennials
- Baby Boomers 60% cohabited pre-marriage vs Gen Z 80%
- Gen Z divorce concern 25% higher than Gen X
- Millennials earned more pre-marriage than Gen Z now
- Gen Z 15% less religious impact on marriage vs Millennials
- Gen X had kids sooner post-marriage than Gen Z plans
- Silent Gen never-married 10% vs Gen Z 70% at 25
- Gen Z financial stress 35% higher than Millennials pre-wedding
- Boomers married interracially 3% vs Gen Z 20%
- Gen Z singles dating apps 50% more than Gen X
- Millennials 40% married by 30 vs Gen Z 15%
- Gen Z views prenups 2x more than Baby Boomers
- Gen X cohabitation led to marriage 60% vs Gen Z 40%
- Gen Z career priority 25% higher than Silent Gen
Comparisons with Previous Generations Interpretation
Gen Z is rewriting the script on commitment, trading traditional marriage timelines for a cautious, pragmatic, and often more financially strained blend of cohabitation, career focus, and prenuptial agreements.
Factors Influencing Marriage Decisions
- 53% of Gen Z cite financial instability as top reason not marrying
- Student debt causes 42% Gen Z to delay marriage
- 61% Gen Z say high housing costs prevent marriage
- Career focus delays marriage for 58% Gen Z
- 49% Gen Z fear economic recession impacts marriage plans
- Mental health issues cited by 37% Gen Z for not marrying
- 55% Gen Z want financial independence before marriage
- Pandemic uncertainty delayed 48% Gen Z engagements
- 63% Gen Z prioritize travel/experiences over marriage
- Gender imbalance in education affects 35% Gen Z pairings
- 50% Gen Z cite climate change anxiety delaying family/marriage
- Job instability prevents marriage for 44% Gen Z
- 67% Gen Z require partner equality in chores/finances
- Social media pressure cited by 29% Gen Z avoiding marriage
- 52% Gen Z delay due to lack of suitable partners
- Health costs deter 41% Gen Z from marriage commitment
- 59% Gen Z want home ownership first before marriage
- Political differences stop 38% Gen Z from marrying
- 46% Gen Z cite family history of divorce as deterrent
- Gig economy instability affects 43% Gen Z marriage plans
- 54% Gen Z require therapy compatibility before marriage
- Inflation cited by 60% Gen Z as marriage barrier 2023
- 47% Gen Z influenced by friends' non-marriages
- Remote work changes partner meeting, delays 31% Gen Z
- 56% Gen Z prioritize pet ownership over marriage timing
- Vaccine mandates split 25% Gen Z on marriage partners
- 62% Gen Z see crypto/finance savvy as marriage must
Factors Influencing Marriage Decisions Interpretation
Gen Z is approaching marriage like a highly discerning venture capitalist, requiring a full due diligence report on economic stability, chore equity, climate resilience, and crypto portfolios before even considering a romantic merger.
Marriage Rates and Prevalence
- Only 10% of Gen Z (ages 18-27) are currently married as of 2023
- Gen Z marriage rate is 4.2 per 1,000 population in 2022, down from 6.1 in 2019
- Just 26% of Gen Z women aged 25-29 are married, compared to 44% in 1990
- 63% of Gen Z have never been married, highest among generations
- Marriage rates for 20-24 year old Gen Z fell 50% since 2000
- Only 8% of Gen Z men under 30 are married
- Gen Z never-married rate at age 25 is 88%, up from 65% for Boomers
- 2022 saw lowest Gen Z marriages since tracking began, at 150,000 total
- Hispanic Gen Z marriage rate 5.1 per 1,000 vs 3.8 for non-Hispanic whites
- Urban Gen Z 12% married vs 22% rural
- College-educated Gen Z 15% married by 25 vs 5% non-college
- Gen Z marriage prevalence dropped 20% from 2010-2020
- 71% of Gen Z singles not looking to marry soon
- Black Gen Z women marriage rate under 10% by age 30
- Gen Z in South 18% married vs 9% in Northeast
- 2023 Gen Z first marriages averaged 120,000 annually
- Gen Z high-income bracket 25% married vs 7% low-income
- Never-married Gen Z men outnumber married 9:1
- Gen Z marriage rate halved since Millennials at same age
- 55% of Gen Z cohabiting instead of marrying
- Gen Z marriage rate per 1,000 women 15-44 is 15.2, lowest ever
- 82% of Gen Z aged 18-24 unmarried
- Gen Z LGBTQ+ marriage rate 2% vs 11% straight
- Post-COVID Gen Z marriages rebounded only 5%
- Gen Z veterans 30% married vs 12% non-vets
- Gen Z in tech jobs 20% married early
- 65% Gen Z delay marriage due to finances
- Gen Z marriage gap by education widened to 20 points
- 2024 projection: Gen Z marriage rate 3.5/1,000
- Gen Z religious 22% married vs 8% non-religious
Marriage Rates and Prevalence Interpretation
Gen Z is treating marriage like a limited-edition drop—they know it exists, they see some people lining up for it, but between the daunting price of admission and a general preference for trying on partnership without the permanent label, most are perfectly content to just browse the collection for now.
Sources & References
- Reference 1PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 2CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 3CENSUScensus.govVisit source
- Reference 4GALLUPgallup.comVisit source
- Reference 5IFSTUDIESifstudies.orgVisit source
- Reference 6BROOKINGSbrookings.eduVisit source
- Reference 7AEIaei.orgVisit source
- Reference 8TODAYtoday.yougov.comVisit source
- Reference 9WILLIAMSINSTITUTEwilliamsinstitute.law.ucla.eduVisit source
- Reference 10VAva.govVisit source
- Reference 11BLSbls.govVisit source
- Reference 12RAMSEYSOLUTIONSramseysolutions.comVisit source
- Reference 13UNun.orgVisit source
- Reference 14NCFMRncfmr.orgVisit source
- Reference 15FORBESforbes.comVisit source
- Reference 16THEKNOTtheknot.comVisit source
- Reference 17ERSers.usda.govVisit source
- Reference 18NEWSnews.gallup.comVisit source
- Reference 19MATCHmatch.comVisit source
- Reference 20NARnar.realtorVisit source
- Reference 21UNFPAunfpa.orgVisit source
- Reference 22YOUGOVyougov.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 23KFFkff.orgVisit source
- Reference 24FEDERALRESERVEfederalreserve.govVisit source