Five Good Reasons To Get Married While You’re Young

While delaying marriage has advantages — a lower
divorce rate, higher income for women and fewer and less
intense arguments between spouses — studies show there
also may be benefits to tying the knot before age 30.
However, there is such a thing as marrying too young.
Research shows that marriages beginning when a woman
is 18 are twice as likely to end in divorce as those
beginning when she is 22.

Below are five reasons to get married in your 20s.

1. It could make you happier. The highest percentage of
people ages 20 to 28 who consider themselves "highly
satisfied" with their lives are married, as opposed to single or
cohabiting. What's more, the largest number of women who
described their marriage as "very happy" tied the knot when
they were 24 to 26. A 2010 study found that "the greatest
indicated likelihood of being in an intact marriage of the
highest quality is among those who married at ages 22–25."

2. You'll make more money (at least if you're a man). An
analysis revealed that among men in their mid-30s, those who
married in their 20s had the highest levels of personal income.
Economists have found, in general, that married men earn
more than single men — even when you control for other
factors like age and education.

3. You'll have more s*x. Couples who marry in their 20s
tend to have more frequent s*x than those who marry later.
Researchers say that "a four year increase in age at marriage
is associated with a couple having s*x about one time less per
month." What's more, married people as a whole have more
s*x than their single counterparts.

4. You'll drink less alcohol. A 2012 study published in the
Journal of Health and Social Behavior found that married and
engaged young adults reported lower frequency of
drunkenness than those who are not in a serious romantic
relationship. Laying off alcohol has many health benefits,
including weight loss, better sleep, better skin and a reduced
risk of some cancers.

5. There's nothing to be gained from waiting – if you think
you're ready. We certainly aren't advocating a rush to the
altar, but if you feel like you're prepared for that next step, go
for it. Research says there's no advantage to delaying
marriage just for the sake of delaying it. A 25-year-old person
who meets an excellent marriage prospect would be ill-
advised to pass up that opportunity only because he/she feels
not yet at the ideal age for marriage. Furthermore, delaying
marriage beyond the mid-twenties will lead to the loss during
a portion of young adulthood of any emotional and health
benefits that a good marriage would bring.