People like to joke about how marriage is the end of a happy and independent life. Yet recent statistics paint a different picture. According to the 2023 U.S. Census, 74% of married Americans say they are happy they are happy in their relationship. That’s almost 98 million married people!
Still, married life comes with some ups and downs. Sometimes you love your spouse more than anything in the world. Other times, they might annoy you so much you start plotting how to get rid of them in their sleep. One online group collects funny observations and jokes about marriage, and here we present to you those we hope you will find most relatable!
What do people really think about marriage in the big 25? Do people still find it important or just see it as an archaic contract that should be obsolete by now? According to Harvard’s 2025 Youth poll, young people are prioritizing marriage less, but are still optimistic about long-term partnerships.
57% of the respondents said they think marriage is important, and 48% also think the same about having children. As with most things, political affiliation also plays a role here: 75% of Republicans say that getting married is important, while only 56% of Democrats say the same. Still, 67% of the young people surveyed by Harvard say that they view long-term romantic relationships as important.
A recent study by The Times also shows a similar trend. They have found that Gen Z are more critical of hookup culture than Millennials and are more likely to be pro-marriage. 20 years ago, 39% of young adults thought that marrying is irrelevant when it comes to having children and being a family. Today, only a fifth of 18 to 27-year-olds think that marriage is outdated.
Why are Gen Z becoming more conservative? Some experts suggest that young people are rejecting the laid-back attitudes about love, living together, and having children. The director of research at the charity Marriage Foundation Harry Benson told The Times that for Gen Z, it’s all about the commitment itself rather than the spectacle and appearances.
Co-founder & CEO of Her Campus Media Stephanie Kaplan Lewis told Newsweek that for Gen Z, it’s deeper than for the previous generations. “Older generations may have felt drawn to marriage out of necessity or obligated based on societal pressures which also led to high divorce rates, but Gen Z sees things differently. For them, there is renewed hope in committing to a partner and having a built in support system.”
