What’s the ideal age to reach a life milestone? Many Americans say it depends
What do you consider a life milestone?
Maybe it’s buying a home, starting a family or finally finishing that manuscript you’ve been working on.
A new survey from the Pew Research Center released Wednesday sought to find out what Americans think are the ideal times for some of those traditional milestones to take place. Spoiler alert: it depends!
Three things to know:
- In April of last year, Pew asked 3,600 U.S. adults what they would consider to be the ideal ages for getting married, having a first child, buying a home and retiring.
- On average, the people surveyed say that the best age to get married is 26.5; the best age to become a parent is 27.3; the best age to purchase a home is 28.8; and the best age to retire is 61.8.
- But! A significant portion of each group also said that there was actually no ideal age for any of these milestones. Half of respondents said there’s no best age to get married or purchase a home; four in 10 said there was no best age to have children; and a third said there was no ideal retirement age.
From the White House to your home — get political news and analysis that matters sent straight to your inbox, with the NPR Politics newsletter.
A shift from previous generations
These averages are reflective of a larger cultural trend among younger Americans — they’re hitting these milestones later in life than previous generations, according to a Pew analysis from 2023.
The study, which looked at Census Bureau data, showed that adults under 21 were hitting major life milestones later than adults from 40 years prior.
That tracks with the most recent census data, which says the median age for first-time marriage in 2024 was 30.2 years for men and 28.6 years for women. In 1974, those respective ages were 23.1 and 21.1.
Dive deeper with NPR:
- Homeownership is more complicated than ever. Read about how young homebuyers are being forced to compete with investors.
- From A to Zika, get the latest global health and development news, sent weekly to your inbox, with the Goats and Soda newsletter.
Smithsonian museums and National Zoo set to close as shutdown takes its toll
The shutdown is forcing the closure of a number of America's beloved cultural institutions starting Sunday. Twenty-one Smithsonian museums, its research centers and the National Zoo are all affected.
4 dead and 12 injured in a shooting after Mississippi homecoming game
The small town of Leland, Miss., was rocked by the shooting, which took place late Friday.
Africa’s oldest leader isn’t ready to retire – and he’s not the only one defying age
At 92, Cameroon's President aul Biya is running for an eighth term on Sunday — a reminder of how Africa's aging leaders continue to cling to power, even as their nations face unrest, corruption, and calls for change.
Photos celebrate the glory of girls on ‘International Day of the Girl’
October 11 is the "International Day of the Girl" on the United Nations calendar. These photos pay tribute to the spirit of girls in a world where they face many obstacles.
Luigi Mangione’s lawyers seek a dismissal of federal charges in CEO killing
Mangione's lawyers asked a federal judge to dismiss some criminal charges, including the only count for which he could face the death penalty, from a federal indictment brought against him.
Being your authentic self: NPR’s LGBTQ+ readers share their coming out stories
National Coming Out Day is Oct. 11. To celebrate and honor LGBTQ+ people who have come out and those who want to, NPR readers share how they told their loved ones.
