Young Adult Ministry

Delayed Marriage

30 is the average age for a first marriage for men and 28 for women as of 2022. This has increased every year for the past 25 years, with a major increase since 2007.

20% Divorce ages 25-34

Young adults have the highest divorce rate of married adults, with those 25-34 experiencing a divorce rate.

Living with the Parents

From 2000 to 2023, an increase of 87% of singles in their 20s and 30s, around 7 million young adults, now live with their parents.

Young Adults are Alone

Young adults spend 70% less time with friends than they did two decades ago.

College Age is Older

The average age of college students is now 26 years old. This average age takes into account both traditional college students who enroll immediately after high school and non-traditional students who may return to college later in life or attend part-time while working.

Slightly over half of 18-21 are in school

Only 57% of those 18-21 in 2018 were enrolled in a college or university.

27 Years Old at Childbirth

While there was a large jump in birth rates for women in their late 30s, the decline seen in younger groups still brought the overall fertility rate down, shifting the median age at childbirth to 27.

Single Parents are Millennials

More than half of single mothers (52.9%) and more than 1 in 3 single fathers (37%) are millennials.

Only Half in College

52% of Gen Z ages 18-23 were enrolled in college or university.

Mental Health Challenges

Mental health is a significant concern for Gen Z, with 70% of individuals aged 13-23 stating that anxiety and depression are major problems among their peers.

Social Justice and Activism

Gen Z is characterized by their strong focus on social justice and activism. 42% of Gen Z respondents identified as liberal, and 23% identified as very liberal.

54% of individuals aged 18-23 stating that climate change is a major problem that requires immediate action.

Loneliness Epidemic

Widespread loneliness in the U.S. poses health risks as deadly as smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily.

Americans spent about 20 minutes a day in person with friends in 2020, down from 60 minutes daily nearly two decades earlier.

The loneliness epidemic is hitting young people, ages 15 to 24, especially hard. The age group reported a 70% drop in time spent with friends during the same period.

Highly Connected

95% of ageS 13-17 have access to a smartphone and are the most technology-native generation to date.

More than 1 in 10 millennials (11.2%) say they are LGBTQ+. Among older generations, the percentages are much smaller—3.3% of Generation X, 2.7% of baby boomers, and 1.7% of the silent generation.

Experiences NOT Stuff

Millennials are more likely to prioritize experiences over material possessions. 60% of millennials would rather spend money on experiences like travel and dining out than on buying things.

42% of millennials ages 18-29 lived with their parents, making it the most common living arrangement for this age group.

The median weekly earnings for full-time millennial workers aged 25-34 were $871.

Millennials are more racially and ethnically diverse than previous generations. 44% of millennials identified as non-Hispanic white, while 27% were Hispanic, 15% were Black, and 7% were Asian.

$1.6 Trillion Student Loans

Student loan debt is a significant financial burden for many millennials. As of the first quarter of 2021, the total outstanding student loan debt in the U.S. reached $1.6 trillion.