About three quarters of America’s youngest adults believe they can lead fulfilling lives without children — the highest share of any generation on record.
That statistic comes from the Barna Group’s new study on adults in Generation-Z, born between 1999 and 2015.
The survey ‘The State of Today’s Family‘ reveals they are delaying marriages because of economic concerns and emotional stressors.
“Young adults today report high levels of anxiety, uncertainty, and emotional complexity in their daily lives,” Barna’s report noted.
THE FACTORS IMPACTING GEN-Z’S APPROACH TO MARRIAGE
“These are factors that may shape how they approach long-term decisions like marriage,” researchers noted.
“Rising costs of housing, education, and daily life likely add to that calculus, making the timing of marriage feel consequential in a way it may not have for earlier generations.”
Barna questioned more than 3,500 adults in August 2024.
It found that 74% of Gen-Z respondents said they can have fulfilling lives without kids — the highest share of any generation.
VAST MAJORITY OF GEN-Z HOPEFUL OF EVENTUAL MARRIAGE
However, 78% of Gen-Z adults plan for marriage to be part of their future someday and 81% stated they still believed in the value of marriage.
Exactly two-thirds agreed marriage is critical for raising children in a stable environment — which is the lowest percentage among any surveyed generation.
The lesser focus on children comes at a time when there are rising concerns of declining birth rates in the United States which have dropped to a historic low of 1.6 live births per woman.
THE PRIORITIES OF GEN-Z BEFORE STEPPING INTO MARRIAGE
According to the data, many young adults in the US are rethinking the philosophy of previous generations, which seemed to value entering into marriages at young ages.
Instead, Gen-Z adults are placing greater priority on emotional readiness, financial stability, and certainty of long-term relational viability before stepping into marriage.
Pastor Mike Novotny, author of the book ‘Newlywed: A Christian Guide for Loving Year One‘, made clear that marriage isn’t a requirement for a thriving spiritual life.
He noted that Jesus Himself wasn’t married, but challenged the thinking of young adults towards delaying marriage.
PASTOR PUTS THE CASE FOR YOUNGER MARRIAGES
“I worship a guy who was single for all of His life, so I want to be really careful not to paint a picture you have to get married and you have to get married young,” Pastor Novotny told CBN News.
He also referenced the Apostle Paul, who called his own singleness a gift allowing him to focus more intently on the work of spreading the Gospel.
The pastor pointed out that delaying marriage to establish oneself is not inherently better than the alternative of “the opportunity to grow together.”
THE ADVANTAGES OF YOUNG COUPLES GROWING TOGETHER IN MARRIAGE
“I got married when both my wife and I were 22,” he said.
“We could be young together, get our first home together, learn how to do chores together, learn how to make a budget together.”
“I think it would be harder to have our own independent lives and then try to have to compromise on a thousand things, because we both have a way that we do those things.”
“MARRIAGE IS ONE OF GOD’S BEST EARTHLY GIFTS”
The pastor went on to say: “Marriage is one of God’s best earthly gifts. It shows up on the first pages of the Bible, even in the Garden of Eden.”
“So don’t let the culture tell you that it’s some lesser thing and that a thriving career or making money or having a bigger whatever — like that stuff is good.”
“But in my experience, marriage is great and it deserves to be a priority on our list.”
DEMOGRAPHER BELIEVES THERE WILL A RETURN TO YOUNGER MARRIAGES
A study by Arielle Kuperberg, a demographer and sociologist at the University of Maryland, has offered some hope of a reversal of the current trend against younger marriages.
She analysed data from more than 14,000 undergraduates across 44 colleges, including elite universities, where students are typically the least likely to get married while in college.
Her study found a 33% increase in the number of people who married in college since 2019.
It’s a trend Ms. Kuperberg believes will increase.
VETERAN RESEARCHER LESS OPTIMISTIC FOR GEN-Z
Prominent Christian researcher George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University aren’t so optimistic.
In a comprehensive review of Gen-Z, citing survey data from 2022 to 2026, they found Gen-Z is the least Christian generation in the US, with just 1% holding a Biblical worldview.
Mr. Barna noted the share of Gen-Z adults who embrace socialism over capitalism has increased from 22% to 39% in the past four years.
At the same time, support for traditional marriage has declined.
“We see an erosion in support for traditional marriage with an 18% increase in the number of Gen-Z adults who say that the marriage of one man to one woman is simply one possible choice among many,” his researchers concluded.
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