Average age of first marriage has gone up by a year. Official numbers are out for the year. It is 28 for men and 26 for women. It is up by a year for both men and women from last year. Americans are waiting longer to get married. See the report in USA Today of the study by NFI & University of Texas.
Once people married their childhood sweethearts; then they met their future mate at college campuses and now life partners are found at workplaces. With rising educational needs to survive in a competitive market place, 20 something are more focussed on standing on their feet before deciding to get married.
The odds for a happy marriage may favor those who tie the knot between the ages of 23 and 27. Both early marriages (before finishing college ie 20) and late marriages (after 30) seems to have high rate of casualty. Cohabitation has also pushed the age of marriage upwards.
Marriage age has steadily climbed in all developed nations over last few centuries. Education and job pursuits keep people occupied. It also makes marriage prospects harder. Dispersion of families on account of studies and work, also reduces their social circles to choose future mate from. Match makers, matrimonial columns, faith groups, arranged marriage, online profile matching etc have created confusion over matters of marraige selection process.
Is there an ideal age of marriage? I tend to say no. People are at different levesls when it comes to relational readiness, emotional maturity and commitment to tie the knot. Average age need not make you feel that you are doomed for a lonely life or think there are many years to think about all this stuff. How are you preparing for a lasting and fulfilling marriage? How ready are you for it?
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