While the global average age for a first marriage has steadily climbed to 25.4 years for women and nearly 29 for men, this seemingly uniform trend masks a stark and persistent reality where, last year alone, 12 million girls were married before their 18th birthday.
Key Takeaways
- The global average age at first marriage for women in 2022 was 25.4 years according to UNICEF data
- Worldwide, the median age at first marriage for men reached 28.7 years in 2021 per UN Population Division estimates
- In 2023, 21% of women aged 20-24 globally were married before age 18, a UNICEF report statistic
- In the United States, the median age at first marriage for men in 2021 was 30.1 years per CDC/NCHS data
- US women median age at first marriage reached 28.6 years in 2021, CDC National Vital Statistics
- In 2020, 48 states in US reported average first marriage age for men at 29.8 years, CDC
- In the UK, average age at first marriage for men was 33.4 years in 2021 per ONS data
- England and Wales women median first marriage age 31.9 years in 2021, ONS
- France mean age first marriage men 37.1 years in 2020, INSEE
- In Japan, the average age at first marriage for men was 31.1 years in 2022 per government data
- Japanese women mean first marriage age 29.7 years in 2022, MHLW
- South Korea men average first marriage 33.4 years 2022, Statistics Korea
- In Nigeria, 43% of women aged 20-24 were married before 18 in 2021 per DHS
- Ethiopia average female marriage age 17.2 years rural 2022, UNICEF Ethiopia
- South Africa men median first marriage 31.2 years urban 2021, Stats SA
The global average marriage age is rising, but child marriage persists in many regions.
Africa and Other Regions
- In Nigeria, 43% of women aged 20-24 were married before 18 in 2021 per DHS
- Ethiopia average female marriage age 17.2 years rural 2022, UNICEF Ethiopia
- South Africa men median first marriage 31.2 years urban 2021, Stats SA
- Kenyan women 22.8 years average marriage age 2022, KNBS
- Egypt girls child marriage rate 17% under 18 in 2021, CAPMAS
- Morocco women first marriage mean 26.4 years 2022, HCP
- Ghana median marriage age women 21.5 years 2021, GSS
- Uganda 34% girls married before 18 2022, UBOS
- Tanzania average first marriage women 19.8 years rural 2021, NBS Tanzania
- Algeria men first marriage 29.7 years 2022, ONS Algeria
- In Australia, median age first marriage men 32.0 years 2022 ABS data
- Australian women 30.1 years median 2022, Australian Bureau Statistics
- Brazil women average first marriage 28.3 years urban 2021 IBGE
- Brazilian men 30.2 years 2021, IBGE
- Saudi Arabia girls marriage age average 24.6 years 2022 GASTAT
- Saudi men 27.9 years first marriage 2022, General Authority Statistics
- Niger highest child marriage rate 76% girls before 18 2021 UNICEF
- Mali women average marriage age 16.9 years 2022 DHS
Africa and Other Regions Interpretation
Across Africa, the map of marriage ages paints a starkly divided picture, where the freedom to choose one's future in Australia or Morocco clashes tragically with the stolen childhoods still prevalent in nations like Niger and Mali.
Asia
- In Japan, the average age at first marriage for men was 31.1 years in 2022 per government data
- Japanese women mean first marriage age 29.7 years in 2022, MHLW
- South Korea men average first marriage 33.4 years 2022, Statistics Korea
- Korean women marriage age rose to 30.9 years in 2022, KOSTAT
- India national average female marriage age 22.1 years in 2021 NFHS-5
- Indian men average first marriage 26.3 years 2021, NFHS
- China urban women first marriage age 28.7 years 2022, NBS China
- Chinese men mean marriage age 29.4 years 2021, National Bureau Statistics
- Singapore median first marriage men 30.6 years 2022, DOS
- Singapore women 28.4 years average first marriage 2022, SingStat
- Thailand women median marriage age 25.3 years 2021, NSO Thailand
- Thai men first marriage 27.8 years 2021, NSO
- Vietnam average female marriage age 23.6 years 2022, GSO
- Vietnamese men 25.9 years first marriage 2022, General Statistics Office
- Philippines women mean first marriage 26.1 years 2021, PSA
- Filipino men 28.2 years average 2021, PSA
- Indonesia national female marriage age average 21.8 years 2022, BPS
- Indonesian men 25.4 years first marriage 2022, BPS Indonesia
- Pakistan women average marriage age 21.2 years urban 2021, PBS
- Pakistani men 26.7 years 2021, Pakistan Bureau Statistics
- Bangladesh girls 18.4 years median marriage age 2022, BBS
- Bangladeshi men 24.9 years average 2022, Bangladesh Bureau Statistics
- Malaysia women first marriage 26.9 years 2021, DOSM
- Malaysian men 29.5 years 2021, Department Statistics Malaysia
Asia Interpretation
From Seoul's late-night microwaved dinners to Dhaka's early family reunions, the Asian continent's marriage timeline reads like a disorganized, decade-spanning dinner party where everyone insists on arriving fashionably—and very differently—late.
Europe
- In the UK, average age at first marriage for men was 33.4 years in 2021 per ONS data
- England and Wales women median first marriage age 31.9 years in 2021, ONS
- France mean age first marriage men 37.1 years in 2020, INSEE
- Germany women average first marriage 32.5 years 2022, Destatis
- Italy men first marriage age rose to 34.2 years in 2021, ISTAT
- Sweden median marriage age women 34.0 years 2021, Statistics Sweden
- Netherlands average first marriage men 32.1 years 2022, CBS
- Spain women first marriage mean 33.8 years in 2021, INE
- Norway men median age at marriage 34.5 years 2022, SSB
- Denmark women average first marriage 33.2 years 2021, DST
- Finland men first marriage age 34.1 years 2022, Tilastokeskus
- Ireland overall median marriage age 34.7 years 2021, CSO
- Switzerland women mean first marriage 32.9 years 2022, FSO
- Austria men average age first marriage 33.6 years 2021, Statistik Austria
- Belgium first marriage women 31.4 years median 2022, Statbel
- Portugal men marriage age 33.0 years 2021, INE Portugal
- Greece women average first marriage 29.8 years 2022, ELSTAT
- Poland median marriage age men 29.5 years 2021, GUS
- Czech Republic women first marriage 29.2 years 2022, CZSO
- Hungary men average 31.8 years first marriage 2021, KSH
- Romania women median 27.6 years marriage age 2022, INS
- Bulgaria first marriage men 29.1 years 2021, NSI
Europe Interpretation
Across Western Europe, marriage has become a mature vintage, with the cork popping consistently in the early-to-mid thirties, though in the east it’s still a much younger, bolder blend.
Global and International
- The global average age at first marriage for women in 2022 was 25.4 years according to UNICEF data
- Worldwide, the median age at first marriage for men reached 28.7 years in 2021 per UN Population Division estimates
- In 2023, 21% of women aged 20-24 globally were married before age 18, a UNICEF report statistic
- The UN reports that the average age of marriage has risen globally by 1.2 years for women between 2000 and 2020
- Globally, child marriage rates dropped from 25% in 2010 to 19% in 2021 for girls under 18, per World Bank data
- International Labour Organization notes average first marriage age for men at 27.9 years across 100+ countries in 2022
- WHO data shows global female mean marriage age at 24.8 years in low-income countries in 2021
- UNESCO reports 12 million girls married before 18 annually worldwide as of 2023, implying low average ages
- UN Women Global average age at marriage increased to 26.1 years for women in high-income countries by 2022
- World Population Review aggregates global male first marriage age at 29.2 years in 2023
- OECD average first marriage age for women across member states was 29.3 years in 2021
- Pew Research finds global trend of rising marriage age by 4 years since 1990 in developed nations
- IMF data indicates average marriage age correlation with GDP per capita at 27.5 years globally in 2022
- Gallup poll shows 35% of global adults marry after age 30 in urban areas as of 2023
- Our World in Data charts global female marriage age rising from 22.1 in 1970 to 25.7 in 2020
- UN DESA reports 650 million women alive today married as children, affecting global averages
- World Bank Gender Data Portal: Global female first marriage age 24.2 years in 2020
- IHME study: Global mean age at first marriage for men 28.1 years in 2019
- Save the Children reports average marriage age in conflict zones at 17.4 years for girls in 2022
- Plan International: 15% global decline in child marriages 2000-2022, raising averages
- FAO data links rural global marriage age at 23.6 years for women vs 27.4 urban in 2021
- Global Burden of Disease: Marriage age trends show +2.5 years globally 1990-2019
- UNICEF MICS surveys average global girl marriage age at 20.9 years in surveyed nations 2022
- World Marriage Data 2020: Global male marriage age 28.4 years standardized
- Lancet study: Projected global female marriage age 26.8 years by 2030
- Demography journal: Global singulate mean age at marriage 27.2 years men, 24.9 women 2021
- Population Reference Bureau: 1 in 5 women worldwide married by 18 in 2023
- UNPD World Marriage Data: Global trends show convergence to 28 years average by 2050
- Girls Not Brides: 12% global girls married before 15 in 2022
- Human Rights Watch: Regional global averages impacted by 700M child brides historically
Global and International Interpretation
The global march toward later marriage is real and heartening, yet its dignified pace is tragically outrun by the millions of girls still pushed onto the aisle each year before they’ve even left the schoolyard.
United States and North America
- In the United States, the median age at first marriage for men in 2021 was 30.1 years per CDC/NCHS data
- US women median age at first marriage reached 28.6 years in 2021, CDC National Vital Statistics
- In 2020, 48 states in US reported average first marriage age for men at 29.8 years, CDC
- Canadian women average age at first marriage 29.7 years in 2021, Statistics Canada
- US median age first marriage men rose from 26.8 in 2000 to 30.1 in 2021, Census Bureau
- In Mexico, average marriage age for women was 24.5 years in 2020, INEGI data
- US college-educated men marry at average 31.2 years first time in 2022, Pew Research
- Canadian men median first marriage age 31.0 years in 2021, StatCan
- US Black women average first marriage age 27.4 years vs 28.9 white in 2019, CDC
- In 2022, US overall median marriage age 29.4 years combined, Wedding Report
- Mexican men average first marriage 27.1 years in 2021, CONAPO
- US Hispanic men first marriage age median 28.2 years 2021, Census
- Canada provincial data: Ontario women 30.2 years average first marriage 2020, StatCan
- US trend: Women's marriage age up 8.2 years since 1970 to 28.6 in 2021, Census
- In US urban areas, men marry first at 31.5 years average 2022, Pew
- US without high school diploma: Men marry at 25.9 years median 2019, Census ACS
- Canadian Indigenous women average marriage age 26.8 years 2021, StatCan
- US Asian women first marriage median 29.8 years 2021, Census
- Mexico City women average marriage age 28.4 years 2022, INEGI
- US remarriage age average 42.1 years for men 2020, CDC
- Canada men in Quebec marry at 32.1 years median 2021, StatCan
- US South region women first marriage 27.2 years median 2021, Census
United States and North America Interpretation
While we're all allegedly maturing like fine wine, the modern journey to the altar has become a prolonged, data-rich expedition where you're statistically more likely to be securing a mortgage before a marriage license.
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