50 years ago, nearly half of Americans between the ages of 25 and 34 had reached these four traditional adulthood milestones:
- Living away from their parents
- Getting a job
- Getting married
- Having at least one child
In 1974, 45% of young adults had achieved these things. But today, 28% have moved out of their parents’ home and are employed, but they haven’t necessarily gotten married or had kids yet. Only 21% have hit all four milestones.
According to the report, one reason for this is that more young adults ages 25 to 34 are facing economic barriers than previous generations. But back in 1975, it was much more common for women to be married and raising kids at home, and now, more women are working full time and a lot of adults are delaying walking down the aisle or becoming parents, or they’re skipping it altogether.
"Moving out of the parental home, getting a job, tying the knot and having kids used to be the most common pathway to adulthood," Census Bureau researchers Paul Hemez and Jonathan Vespa explain. "Findings suggest that young adults today prioritize economic security over starting a family, reflecting the rising burden of housing, food, gas, and other costs.”
Source: CBS News