WASHINGTON — The traditional path to adulthood — marked by moving out, getting a job, getting married, and having children — has shifted dramatically over the last 50 years, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report. Today, young adults are more likely to prioritize economic stability over starting a family, a trend experts link to the rising cost of living.
In 1975, almost half of all adults between the ages of 25 and 34 had achieved all four of these traditional milestones. Fast forward to 2024, and that number has plummeted to less than a quarter. A new working paper from the Census Bureau, which analyzed data from 2005 to 2023, explores these societal shifts. The findings suggest that higher education levels, more women in the workforce, and increased living expenses for essentials like housing and food have all contributed to the change.
A key finding from the report is the rise of economic milestones over family-related ones. In 2024, the most common experience for young adults was being in the labor force and living independently, without being married or having kids. This was true for about 28% of young adults, a sharp increase from just 6% in 1975. The report noted that a decade ago, this economic-only path had not yet surpassed the traditional four-milestone combination as the most common experience.
The data also showed that all of the top five most common pathways to adulthood in 2024 involved being in the labor force. The shift away from marriage and children is also reflected in the fact that a combination representing a married parent who stays home was the second most common pathway in the 1970s, but has since dropped out of the top five. This highlights the growing diversity of family structures and the increasing role of women in the paid workforce.
The report reinforces that young adults today view economic independence as a crucial part of becoming an adult. Over 90% of people surveyed in a 2017 Census Bureau report stated that having a full-time job was key to adulthood, and over 80% said the same about moving out of their parents’ home.
