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.
Judge blocks deportation of Boulder attacker’s family
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the government to immediately halt deportation proceedings against the wife and five children of a man charged in the firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado, responding to what the judge called an urgent situation to ensure the protection of the family's constitutional rights.
The Trump administration is working on a plan for time limits on rental aid
A housing agency rule would also allow work requirements. Supporters say a time limit would help spread limited funds to more people, but critics warn it would leave some homeless.
President Trump is attending the musical ‘Les Mis’ – why is this a big deal?
Since Trump abruptly ousted Kennedy Center leadership and became its board chair, artists have canceled shows and subscription sales are down.
A new satellite TV channel allows Alexei Navalny’s videos to reach Russian audiences
The Russia's Future channel, launched by Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya and Reporters Without Borders, began broadcasting Wednesday, on what would have been the late Russian activist's 49th birthday.
Darfur: bearing the brunt of over two years of civil war in Sudan
An attack on what would have been the first aid delivery to the beseiged city of El Fasher in over a year has dealt a major blow in the Darfur region. The assault comes as humanitarian groups warn that collapsing healthcare, unrelenting violence, and a paralyzed aid effort are pushing civilians to breaking point.
Trump’s tariffs could cut deficit by $2.8 trillion over next decade — with caveats
The Congressional Budget Office projected President Trump's tariffs could raise trillions of dollars over the next decade — but they could also lead to higher inflation and slower economic growth.
