What Is the Average Age of Marriage in the U.S.?

Deciding when to get married is an extremely personal choice, to say the least. While there's an emotional element, there's also a financial component to consider (especially for those living in the United States), as merging your finances with your significant other requires planning for things like setting up a household budget, saving for short- and long-term goals, buying a home, and paying down individual or joint debts.

Age can also play a part in the decision-making process, which begs one question: What is the average age of marriage in the U.S.? According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2022, the median age for marriage was approximately 30.5 years old for men and 28.6 years old for women. While that might seem like a standard average for some, this statistic signifies a six- to seven-year age increase over the past century. (In 1920, the average woman got married at 21.2 years old while men married at 24.6 years of age.)

"We’re experiencing a gradual increase in the age of first marriage in the United States," explains licensed psychotherapist Sarah Chotkowski, LICSW. "Concerns about the prospect of divorce, wanting to wait until greater financial stability is achieved, changing social norms around the acceptance of having children out of wedlock, increases in the pursuit of advanced degrees, and decrease in religious affiliation all contribute to potential and partial explanations for the delay in marriage."

If you're planning to tie the knot, or simply curious why individuals are waiting longer to walk down the aisle, we tapped Chotkowski to help break down the factors that impact the age of marriage—plus, we provide advice on how to know when you're ready to say "I do." Read on for more.

Factors That Impact the Age of Marriage

Several factors influence the age of marriage—such as love and one's desire to raise a family, according to Chotkowski—but it's a person's financial stability, or lack thereof, that truly has an impact on when they decide to tie the knot. Why? Well, marriage may lead to financial difficulties if you and your spouse have conflicting ideas about managing your money. For example, you might be a saver while your spouse is a spender. Or, one of you may be a stickler for detail when it comes to budgeting while the other is more relaxed about tracking expenses. Problems can arise in a marriage if financials aren't in order, so many couples wait to get married until they have everything sorted out.

That said, there are some economic marital benefits to tying the knot, even if you don't choose to wait until your finances get situated. Going from one income to two, for example, can make it easier to get a grip on debt repayment or advance your savings goals. Having a partner to help with saving and investing can also help you create a brighter outlook for retirement. When you have someone working with you on a monthly budget, that creates a certain level of accountability, which may motivate you to keep spending in check.

What's more, if you and your partner have both been paying for health insurance, either out of pocket or through your employer, having one spouse join the other's plan could add some savings back into your monthly budget. "Our current economic climate is such that most people need to combine financial resources, whether this is to buy a house, have children, pay off student loans, or have an emergency fund for vet visits," adds Chotkowski. Married couples could also potentially pay less in taxes when filing a joint return, depending on their incomes and the types of deductions and credits for which they're eligible.

How to Know You're Ready for Marriage

Pinning down the best time to get married can be tricky, and it involves taking a look at your current life circumstances and determining whether marriage is the next best step to take. That's why Chotkowski advises couples to consider their financial compatibility, to help weigh the pros and cons, once deciding on a time to tie the knot.

"I would recommend that couples have a serious discussion about their financial goals, resources, and values, ideally with the aid of a financial advisor or accountant," she explains. "Decisions like what proportion of someone’s income will be allocated to shared expenses versus personal discretionary spending or what level of risk they are comfortable with as an investment strategy can become sources of major contention that calcify over time."

You and your partner should also answer these questions to help decide whether the timing is right for a marriage:

• How much debt do we have individually and jointly?
• Would the way we're paying those debts change after marriage?
• Would getting married yield any savings where our insurance and taxes are concerned?
• How much do we have in savings, individually and jointly?
• What matters most to each of us where saving is concerned?
• Do we share common savings goals?
• How do our incomes compare?
• If there's a wide gap in our incomes, how would that impact things like budgeting, debt repayment, and saving?
• If one or both of us have debt, would either of us feel more comfortable waiting until that debt is repaid to get married?

Similarly, Chotkowski highly recommends taking inventory of your sexual compatibility with your partner before tying the knot. Individuals should discuss their viewpoints on "different kinks, sexual histories, libidos, or beliefs around monogamy," all of which play a major role in the success of a long-term relationship. She further adds that couples can also consult with a therapist, or, specifically, a sex therapist, to discuss any of these topics, especially if any incompatibilities arise. A professional will be able to help you and your partner "make shared, intentional decisions about how to move forward," Chotkowski notes.

With all this in mind, while you can use the average age of marriage as a guideline, choosing when to get married is ultimately a personal decision. Do what works best for you and your partner, and don't be afraid to seek help if needed.