53% of adults 25 to 55 are married.
In 1990, that number was 67%.
44% of millennials are currently married.
Comparing that, Gen X at this point was 53% and boomers were 61%.
Marriage has dropped 17% from Gen X to millennials and 28% from boomers to millennials.
It’s also estimated by Pew that 25% of millennials will never get married or have kids. The highest by far of any generation in the US ever.
Where this gets interesting.
22% of the US population will be over 65 by the year 2050.
Up from 16% today.
22% of the current US population is under 18 currently.
That number will drop to 20% by 2050.
For the first time in US history, America will have more people over 65 over 18.
And this creates an interesting opportunity.
The single seniors
If 25% of millennials never get married, by 2050, we will have over 5% of the population being retirement age, but never having kids or getting married.
Where this becomes an opportunity is dealing with the issue of seniors tending to have less income coming in, while still having higher expenses in other areas.
Normally, these costs are aided, due to things such as dual income families and having kids, which as adults help with things like money, general favors and even housing aids.
Where I believe becomes the trend as we see the late 2030s and 2040s is the rise of seniors co-living, similar to how college students live today.
Renting homes together
Shared doctors visits
Shared added care if needed
Something which could be seen as a sad thing, but might end up pretty happy. It’d be interesting where people were friends since high school, stayed in touch and ended up living together as older adults.
Obviously this sounds like Golden Girls becoming the norm, but I think in 20-30 years due to money, healthcare or just general loneliness, there will be an entire living category with single seniors having roommates, sharing houses and many living like at 25 at 65.