Shifting views surrounding the riskiness of long-term commitment could be at the heart of why marriage seems less desirable to many members of Generation Z.

Studies show that younger generations increasingly view money as a barrier to love. For example, 78% of Zoomers surveyed said that someone’s salary will determine whether they can find “true love,” versus 32% of Boomer respondents, The New York Post reported July 28. This comes as the average age of marriage has risen to around 31 for men and 28 for women in 2025. In the 1960s, this was around 23 and 21, respectively.

However, Heritage Foundation research assistant Liana Graham told the Daily Caller News Foundation that financial problems are only one component of why Zoomers are delaying marriage. (RELATED: America’s Social Life Still Hasn’t Recovered From Covid)

“While costs have risen, so have economic standards and expectations going into marriage,” Graham said. “The ‘cornerstone’ view of marriage—a framework that views marriage as a foundation for adult life—has been largely replaced with a ‘capstone’ view which sees marriage as a final step on the road to success.”

Graham said that this capstone view raises the “bar of entry for early marriage” by combining changing economic realities — like the average cost of a home — with changing cultural expectations — like homeownership being a prerequisite for marriage.

The median sales price of a house exceeds $400,000,........

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