Axios - Four big milestones Americans have historically associated with growing up are moving out of your parents' house, getting a job, getting married and having kids. In 1975, about half of America's 25– to 34–year–olds had done those things. Fifty years later, less than a quarter have, according to a census working paper out this month.
The way young people think about marriage and family is changing. It used to be the first step of adulthood, with financial security and an established career potentially coming after a wedding. Now, it's more commonly the last step. Young people want to find work, pay off debt and live alone before looking for a partner — and these goals are harder to hit than they were for previous generations.
In 1975, only 6% of 25- to 34-year-olds lived independently, held jobs, but were unmarried and without kids. By contrast, 22% had moved out, were married with children, but were not employed. Today, priorities have flipped. In 2024, 28% of young adults lived on their own with jobs. But the combination of moving out, marrying, and having kids no longer ranks among the top five most common milestone patterns.
No comments:
Post a Comment