For generations, adulthood in the United States has been measured by a familiar checklist: we move out, finish education, get a job, marry, and raise children. However, research shows that fewer young people reach all five milestones by their early 30s, raising questions about whether these markers still define what it means to be an adult.
The U.S. Census Bureau said in a 2025 working paper that milestone attainment has fallen to historic lows, with only one in five young adults hitting the traditional benchmarks.
1. Living Independently From Parents
Moving out of a parent’s home once marked the beginning of adulthood. In 1975, nearly nine in 10 adults in their late 20s lived independently. Today, according to Census Bureau data, about one in five adults ages 25 to 34 still lives with parents.
The trend is powerful in high-cost states like California and New Jersey. For many, the decision is financial rather than cultural. As housing economist Jenny Schuetz said, “Rising rents have reshaped when and how young adults can leave home.” Independence now comes later, if at all.
2. Completing Education
Finishing school has always been tied to adult responsibility, but the definition has shifted. In the mid-20th century, completing high school or some college was enough. Today, higher Education has become a near-expected milestone, with many delaying work or family life to pursue degrees.
The Georgetown University Center on Education reported that young adults with bachelor’s degrees are more likely to reach financial independence, but often several years later than peers who join the workforce sooner. Once a springboard, Education is now both a milestone and a delay factor.
3. Entering the Full-Time Labor Force
A full-time job was the cornerstone of adulthood, providing income and stability. But that stability has eroded. A 2023 Federal Reserve report found that nearly one-third of workers under 35 had worked temporary or gig jobs in the past year. For many, the path to stable employment is longer and less predictable.
As demographer Jonathan Vespa noted in Census research, “The labor market no longer guarantees a straightforward transition into adulthood.” While most young adults work, fewer secure the permanent, full-time roles their parents once relied on.
4. Marriage
Marriage has seen one of the steepest declines as an adulthood marker. The median age at first marriage has climbed steadily to over 30 for men and 28.4 for women in 2023, compared to 23 and 20, respectively, in 1950. A Pew Research Center study found that fewer young adults view marriage as essential to adulthood, with many prioritizing career or personal goals instead.
As sociologist Andrew Cherlin said, “Family formation is no longer the central organizing feature of young adulthood.” Marriage has shifted from a starting point to an optional milestone.
5. Parenthood
Raising children was once seen as the ultimate sign of adulthood, but fewer young adults choose that path early. Census data show that fewer people ages 25 to 34 are raising children today than in any previous generation. Delays in marriage, financial pressures, and shifting cultural values all contribute.
The Economic Policy Institute reported that the high cost of childcare is a significant deterrent, often rivaling housing expenses. Parenthood now comes later, with some opting out entirely. As one Pew survey respondent said, “Being an adult isn’t about having kids, it’s about being responsible.”
Decline in Milestone Attainment
The overall decline in milestone attainment is striking. In 1975, 45% of adults ages 25 to 34 had reached four milestones – living independently, full-time work, marriage, and parenthood. By 2024, only 21% had done so, according to Census Bureau analysis. Education complicates the picture further, since many pursue college or graduate school well into their late 20s.
Demographer Jonathan Vespa said, “We’ve moved from a clear-cut life course to a much more fragmented one.” The data show that adulthood is less about a fixed timeline and more about individual circumstances.
Economic Milestones Take Priority
When young adults today achieve milestones, they are more likely to be economic rather than familial. In 2024, 28% of young adults had reached only two markers—living independently and working full-time—up from just 6% in 1975, Census data show. These shifts highlight how economic survival often takes precedence over traditional family goals.
Brookings researcher Richard Reeves explained, “For many young people, financial stability has become the main test of adulthood.” Marriage and parenthood, once early steps, are increasingly postponed or skipped entirely.
Later Marriage and Parenthood
Both marriage and parenthood now happen later in life, if at all. The average age at first marriage has climbed by nearly a decade since 1950, while birth rates among women in their 20s have steadily declined. A Pew Research Center study found that only about 30% of adults under 30 see having children as essential to adulthood.
Many adults first focus on career growth, travel, or personal goals. As sociologist Pamela Smock put it, “Family formation has shifted from the opening act of adulthood to a later chapter.”
Education as a New Benchmark
For today’s young adults, Education itself often counts as a milestone. College enrollment has risen steadily, and graduate study is more common than ever. Yet this pursuit can delay other transitions. A Georgetown University report found that students who invest heavily in higher Education tend to reach economic independence later, often pushing back family milestones into their 30s.
Still, many see degrees as essential markers of success. As one 2024 Pew survey respondent said, “For me, being an adult meant getting my degree, even if everything else had to wait.”
Labor Market Shifts
The labor market young adults face today looks very different from that of their parents. Stable, long-term jobs are harder to find, and gig work or short-term contracts are increasingly common. A 2023 Federal Reserve survey found that nearly one in three workers under 35 relied on nontraditional work in the past year.
This instability often delays decisions about moving out, marriage, or having children. As economist Betsey Stevenson noted, “It’s not that young people don’t want to form families, it’s that the economic foundation is much shakier than in past generations.”
Changing Gender Roles
Shifting gender norms also shape milestone timelines. Women’s labor force participation has risen sharply since the 1970s, and the traditional model of a stay-at-home parent has declined. According to Labor Department data, more than 70% of mothers with children under 18 are employed today.
This shift has meant that more women pursue career and educational milestones before considering marriage or children. As sociologist Barbara Risman said, “The script for adulthood is no longer gendered in the same way, it’s much more individualized.”
Cultural Diversity and Multigenerational Homes
Cultural traditions and economic pressures both contribute to the rise of multigenerational households. In Hawaii, Census Bureau figures show that nearly 28% of young adults live with parents, mainly due to high housing costs. Among Latino and Asian families, multigenerational living reflects cultural norms of interdependence rather than delayed adulthood.
These arrangements complicate the idea that living independently is the only marker of maturity. As UCLA researcher Rumbaut noted, “Adulthood doesn’t look the same across cultures, and never has.”
Economic Pressures
The rising cost of living is one of the clearest barriers to traditional milestones. Housing prices, childcare, and healthcare expenses have all outpaced wages in recent decades. The Economic Policy Institute reported in 2023 that childcare costs now rival housing expenses in many states.
Student debt adds another layer of financial strain. As one 2024 Pew survey found, the majority of young adults delaying marriage or children cited cost as the primary factor. For many, economic security has to come first, even if other milestones remain out of reach.
Mental Health and Extended Adolescence
Mental health is increasingly recognized as a factor in delayed adulthood. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported rising rates of anxiety, depression, and ADHD among young adults. Psychologist Jean Twenge has argued that today’s youth face “an unprecedented mix of economic and psychological pressures” that lengthen the road to adulthood.
Challenges in managing mental health can delay progress toward work, independence, or relationships. While stigma has decreased, the impact remains significant, reshaping how quickly or slowly milestones are reached.
Social Media and Comparison
Social media has changed how young adults view adulthood. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok amplify comparisons, showcasing peers who seem to hit milestones sooner. A 2023 American Psychological Association survey found that 45% of adults under 30 reported feeling “behind in life” because of what they saw online.
These feelings can worsen anxiety around delayed milestones, even when trends show most peers are also waiting longer. As psychologist Mitch Prinstein noted, “Social comparison is nothing new, but social media makes it constant and unavoidable.”
Legal Adulthood vs. Milestone Attainment
The law recognizes adulthood at 18, but lived adulthood takes longer. Many don’t leave home, secure stable work, or form families until their late 20s or beyond. Census Bureau researcher Vespa explained, “We’re seeing the age of majority and adulthood diverge.”
The widening gap between legal and social adulthood highlights how arbitrary the legal threshold can be. While 18-year-olds can vote or serve in the military, most don’t feel or aren’t seen as fully adults until much later.
The Diversity of Pathways
There is no longer a single, dominant pathway into adulthood. Census Bureau data show that the top five milestone combinations in 2024 included full-time labor force participation but varied otherwise. Some achieved independence without marriage, while others delayed all family milestones.
Sociologist Frank Furstenberg has observed, “There are as many ways to be an adult today as there are young people.” Diversity has replaced uniformity, making adulthood a far more individualized experience than in past generations.
Geographic Inequality
Where you live can strongly influence milestone attainment. In states with lower housing costs, such as North Dakota and South Dakota, fewer than 10% of young adults live with parents. According to Census Bureau data, the rates are two or three times higher in high-cost states.
Housing analyst Chris Herbert said, “Geography often determines whether you can hit milestones on time.” These disparities show that economic context, not just personal choice, shapes the pace of adulthood.
Family Formation Is No Longer Central
The once-dominant model of a married couple with children has faded from the top five pathways into adulthood. Census data show that economic milestones like work and independence now take precedence, while family formation is pushed to later years or skipped altogether.
Brookings scholar Richard Reeves noted, “The old sequence – marriage, then children, then stability – has unraveled.” For many, adulthood now centers less on family and more on individual achievement, signaling a cultural and economic shift.
Implications for Society
These changing patterns ripple through society. Delayed marriage and childbearing affect fertility rates, school enrollment, and housing demand. Policymakers track the shifts closely, since they influence everything from retirement systems to labor supply.
Sociologist Andrew Cherlin said, “What young adults do – or don’t do – has consequences for the entire social fabric.” The evolving definition of adulthood shapes personal lives, public policy, business planning, and the economy at large.
Young Adults’ Views on Adulthood
Despite missing traditional markers, young adults often feel like adults differently. A 2024 Pew survey found that most 25 to 34 year-olds define adulthood through personal responsibility, financial independence, and emotional maturity rather than marriage or children.
One respondent said, “Being an adult is more about how you handle your life than whether you’ve hit certain milestones.” This generational redefinition suggests adulthood is less about checking boxes and more about self-perception and lived responsibility.
Future Outlook
Adulthood in America is changing, but the classic five milestones—living independently, completing Education, entering full-time work, marrying, and becoming a parent—still matter. Fewer people hit them all, and they are rarely on the old timeline. Instead, new definitions have emerged, shaped by economics, culture, and personal choice.
Independence and work remain central, while marriage and parenthood are increasingly delayed or optional. The journey is now longer, more diverse, and less predictable. As society adapts, one thing is clear: adulthood is no longer one path but many.