Delaying Adulthood

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 25-34 year–olds had done those things. But now, fifty years later, less than 25% have done them, according to a census working paper out last month. This is reshaping family life, the economy, and how people in their 20s and early 30s describe themselves. Some factors that push these big life choices later in life include more time spent in school, prolonged career entry, and the rising costs associated with childrearing.

Americans now wait longer than at any point in modern history to get married for the first time. In 2024, the average age for a first marriage reached 30.2 years for men and 28.6 years for women (up dramatically from mid-20th-century norms), reflecting a long arc of social and economic change. This broad trend is clear in public data compilations that track these ages over time. Parenthood is later, too. Federal birth statistics show the mean age at first birth climbed from 26.6 years old in 2016 to 27.5 years old in 2023, part of a decades-long shift toward older motherhood.

The housing market vividly illustrates the squeeze, as first-time homebuyers are older and scarcer than at any time since recordkeeping began. Industry data show the typical first-time buyer hit 38 in 2024, while first-timers' share of purchases fell to a historic low as prices and mortgage rates outpaced incomes. "First-time buyers face high home prices, high mortgage interest rates, and limited inventory," said Dr. Jessica Lautz of the National Association of Realtors, describing an affordability gauntlet that many younger adults can't clear. The under-35 homeownership rate also slid to 37.4% in mid-2024 (the lowest in four years), underscoring how expensive financing coupled with tight supply can keep would-be owners renting longer. Some young adults are living with their parents instead of renting or buying. In 2023, 20% of American men and 15% of American women ages 25-34 lived in a parent's home. Many young adults say the arrangement helps their finances even if it crimps independence and social life, a trade-off that highlights the economic pragmatism behind the choice.

Workforce indicators are more mixed. Labor-force participation among 20-24 year-olds remains high by historical standards (around 70% were working or job-hunting in late summer 2025) yet longer education paths and the rise of internships, short-term contracts, and gig work can delay full-time stability. Student debt is part of the picture, too: about $1.6 trillion was outstanding nationwide in mid-2024, and among those who owe, the median balance clusters in the $20,000-$24,999 range. These burdens don't make adulthood impossible, but they can make it slower and more fragile.

Researchers increasingly describe a distinct life stage between adolescence and conventional adulthood. Development psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Jensen Arnett calls it "emerging adulthood," and says it is marked by "identity explorations, feeling in-between, and a sense of possibilities" as people test careers, relationships, and even geographies before settling down. For many, that transitional period now stretches from the late teens into the late 20s, reflecting the reality that commitments in love and work are forged later than they once were.

This data doesn't mean that young Americans are disengaged or destined to be perpetual adolescents. Multiple Pew Research Center surveys have found that most never-married young adults still want to marry someday, and many who live with parents contribute meaningfully to household expenses while building savings of their own. If anything, today's 20- and early-30-somethings are optimizing for resilience by trading speed for stability, so that when they do step into the traditional roles of adulthood, they do so on a more stable foundation. While the timelines have may have shifted, the aspirations largely haven't.