Marriage has become more egalitarian and beneficial for those who enter it, yet fewer people are getting married. U.S. adults today are less likely to be married than at any point in history. This shift reflects a broader trend: as society becomes wealthier, marriage is becoming a luxury good, accessible mainly to those with higher education and economic stability.
For women, the average age of first marriage has risen from 22 to 28.5 over four decades. They now seek partners with strong social and emotional skills rather than just financial stability. Meanwhile, working-class men struggle to meet new standards of 'marriageability,' which increasingly emphasize emotional intelligence and dependability over earning power.
College-educated women are still marrying, but working-class women are delaying or forgoing marriage altogether. The cultural and economic dynamics of marriage have shifted, with fewer people seeing it as a necessity and more as a choice. As a result, fewer children are being born, and loneliness is on the rise.
To rebuild a sustainable marriage culture, society must focus on helping young people develop the personal and emotional skills needed for long-term commitment. Marriage remains one of the surest paths to intimacy and partnership, but it is becoming increasingly unattainable for those who need it most.