While a significant number of millennials and Gen Zers view marriage as an “outdated tradition” and are opting for just living together instead, many still plan to marry someday, according to a recent survey.

As a survey conducted by the Thriving Center of Psychology found earlier this summer, two in five millennials and Gen Zers (ages 18 to 42) view marriage as an “outdated tradition,” a mindset held by 41% of men and 52% of women. 

Eighty-five percent said marriage is not necessary to have a fulfilled and committed relationship, while another 73% believe that getting married in the current economy is too expensive. 

5 out of 6 say they still plan to get married someday. (Source: https://thrivingcenterofpsych.com/blog/millennials-gen-z-marriage-expectations-statistics/)

But is marriage outdated? New research from the University of Chicago (July 2023) reports that marriage is the “most important” factor of who is happy in America, and that falling marriage rates are a main reason why happiness has declined nationwide. 

The research revealed a 30 percentage-point happiness divide between married and unmarried Americans. This happiness boost held true for both men and women. 

The researcher, Sam Peltzman, states, “Low happiness characterizes all type of the non-married.” Other factors do matter – including income, educational achievement, race and geography – but marital status is the most influential when it comes to predicting happiness in the study. Peltman concludes, “This difference is stable over time. It is about the same whether the unmarried state is due to divorce, separation, death of spouse or never having married.” https://unherd.com/thepost/the-best-predictor-of-happiness-in-america-marriage