Average Age of First Marriage by Country (2026)

The average age at first marriage has changed considerably over the past several decades. Across many parts of the world, people are choosing to marry later than previous generations, with this trend particularly noticeable in Europe, North America, and other higher-income countries. However, the age at which people marry for the first time varies widely from one country to another.

The average age at first marriage ranges from 21.0 years in Niger and Liberia to 39.8 years in Spain, creating a gap of 18.8 years. Marriage age also differs between men and women. Men generally marry later than women, although the size of the difference varies significantly across countries.

In this article, we are going to take a look at Average Age of First Marriage by Country 2026, including marriage ages for men and women, the countries with the highest and lowest averages, trends over time, U.S. state-level differences, and the key factors influencing when people choose to marry.

Average Age of First Marriage by Country

The average age at first marriage varies significantly across countries, ranging from 21.0 years in Niger and Liberia to 39.8 years in Spain. People in more than half of the countries marry for the first time before age 28, while several European countries report average ages above 30. 

Men generally marry later than women, with the male average exceeding the female average in most countries. The gap is particularly large in countries such as Mauritania (27.1 vs. 19.2 years), Guinea (28.0 vs. 19.8), and Senegal (31.4 vs. 23.8). 

At the higher end, Spain (39.8), Chile (38.6), the Netherlands (38.4), Argentina (37.8), and Norway (37.6) have the oldest average ages at first marriage. In India, the average age is 28.6 years, with men marrying at 30.0 years and women at 27.2 years.

Source: WorldPopulationReview

Countries With the Highest Average Age at First Marriage

Countries with the highest average age at first marriage are concentrated largely in Europe and Latin America. Spain ranks first at 39.8 years, followed by Chile at 38.6 years and the Netherlands at 38.4 years. 

Argentina and Norway also have high averages of 37.8 and 37.6 years, respectively. The average reaches 36.8 years in Brazil, 36.4 years in Ireland, and 36.0 years in Uruguay. Saint Lucia and Sweden round out the top 10, at 35.5 and 35.1 years. Overall, all 10 countries in this group have average first-marriage ages above 35 years.

Source: WorldPopulationReview

Countries With the Lowest Average Age at First Marriage

The lowest average ages at first marriage are mainly found in African and Asian countries. Niger and Liberia have the lowest average at 21.0 years, followed by Tanzania at 21.4 years and Sao Tome and Principe at 21.6 years. 

Nepal, Laos, and Kiribati each report an average of 21.9 years, while Nigeria and the Central African Republic both stand at 22.0 years. Chad completes the top 10 at 22.2 years. These figures show a substantial difference from countries with the highest averages, with the gap between Spain and Niger reaching 18.8 years.

Source: WorldPopulationReview

How First Marriage Age Has Changed Over the Years

The average age at first marriage has increased steadily over the past few decades, especially in higher-income countries. People are generally waiting longer to marry than previous generations, with the increase particularly noticeable among women.

Source: OECD

Between the early 1990s and 2021, the average age at first marriage increased by about six years for both women and men across OECD countries. The same pattern can be seen across Europe. Eurostat data shows that the average age at first marriage increased in all 20 EU countries with comparable data between 2004 and 2024.

Spain is a particularly clear example of this long-term change. The average age at first marriage for women increased from 28.9 years in 2003 to 36.9 years in 2023, an increase of 8 years. Overall, the data shows a clear shift toward later marriage, with people increasingly postponing marriage as education, careers, financial independence, and changing social attitudes become more important factors in life decisions.

U.S. Median Age at First Marriage by State

The median age at first marriage varied considerably across U.S. states in 2024, with clear differences between men and women and across regions. According to analyses by the National Center for Family & Marriage Research (NCFMR) using 2024 American Community Survey data, the national median age at first marriage was 30.8 years for men and 28.8 years for women.

Highest Median Age at First Marriage Among Men

Among men, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire had the highest median age at first marriage, at 32.4 years each. Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Rhode Island followed closely at 32.2 years.

Source: BGSU 

Lowest Median Age at First Marriage Among Men

At the other end of the ranking, Utah and Arkansas had the lowest median age for men, at 27.2 years, followed by South Dakota and Mississippi at 27.5 years and West Virginia at 27.7 years.

Source: BGSU 

Highest Median Age at First Marriage Among Women

Among women, Washington, D.C. had the highest median age at first marriage in 2024, at 32.3 years. Massachusetts and Rhode Island followed at 30.9 years, while California and New York each recorded 30.4 years. These states were all above the U.S. median of 28.8 years for women, indicating that women in these locations tend to marry later than women nationally.

Source: BGSU

Lowest Median Age at First Marriage Among Women

Utah had the lowest median age at first marriage among women in 2024, at 25.2 years. It was followed by Idaho at 25.4 years, Alaska at 25.5 years, Arkansas at 25.8 years, and Wyoming at 25.9 years. Each of these states had a median age below the national figure of 28.8 years, with Utah showing the largest difference at 3.6 years below the U.S. median.

Source: BGSU

Why Is the Average Age of Marriage Rising?

People in many countries are getting married later than previous generations. Several factors are contributing to this shift, including longer periods of education, greater financial independence, higher housing costs, more common cohabitation, and changing attitudes toward marriage.

1. Education Takes Longer

More people are spending their late teens and twenties in higher education. This is especially noticeable among women. Across OECD countries, 54% of women aged 25 to 34 had a tertiary education degree in 2023, compared with 41% of men.

Spending more years in education can delay entry into full-time employment and financial independence. As a result, marriage and other major life milestones may also take place later.

2. Greater Economic Independence

Marriage is no longer the only path to financial security or an independent household. More employment and income opportunities allow people to establish careers, manage their finances, and live independently before getting married.

This change has been particularly important for women. Greater access to education and employment has given women more opportunities to build financial independence before marriage.

3. Rising Housing Costs

The cost of housing can also affect when people choose to marry and start a household. Higher rents and home prices can make it harder for young adults to achieve financial stability.

Saving for a home, paying off student debt, building a career, and managing everyday expenses can all take priority before couples decide to marry. OECD research identifies housing costs as one of the economic pressures affecting family formation.

4. Cohabitation Has Become More Common

Marriage is no longer the only common form of long-term partnership. More couples now live together without getting married, sometimes for many years and sometimes while raising children.

Cohabitation is particularly common in Nordic countries. This is important when looking at marriage-age statistics because a later age at first marriage does not necessarily mean people are forming relationships later. Someone who marries at 32, for example, may have been living with their partner for several years before getting married.

5. Social Attitudes Have Changed

Attitudes toward marriage and family life have also changed. Marriage is less closely connected to traditional expectations about adulthood, having children, and establishing a household.

As these social norms have changed, people have gained more flexibility in deciding when and whether to marry. This has contributed to the broader shift toward later marriage seen across many countries.

Mean Age vs. Median Age at First Marriage

When comparing marriage statistics, it is important to understand that “average age” does not always refer to the same measure. Different organizations use different methods to calculate the age at which people marry for the first time.

The mean age is calculated by adding the ages together and dividing by the number of people. Eurostat, for example, uses a rate-based mean calculated from age-specific first-marriage rates.

The median age is the age at which half of the relevant population is younger and half is older. The U.S. Census Bureau uses an estimated median age at first marriage based on age and marital-status data.

The United Nations also uses the Singulate Mean Age at Marriage (SMAM). This measure estimates the average number of years people remain single before their first marriage among those who marry before age 50.

Because these measures use different methods and represent slightly different concepts, they should not be combined in the same international ranking without explaining the methodology. Using the same measure across countries provides a more accurate comparison.

Conclusion 

The average age at first marriage has increased significantly in many countries, reflecting broader changes in education, employment, financial independence, housing costs, and social attitudes. The differences between countries are also substantial, with average marriage ages ranging from 21.0 years in Niger and Liberia to 39.8 years in Spain. 

Men generally marry later than women, although the size of the gap varies across countries. The trend toward later marriage is also clear over time, particularly across higher-income countries, where people are increasingly delaying marriage while pursuing education, careers, financial stability, and independent living. U.S. state-level data shows that marriage age can also vary considerably within the same country. 

Overall, marriage is becoming a later life milestone for many people, although the timing continues to differ widely based on economic conditions, cultural norms, and individual choices.