In society through the years, generally speaking, it’s not been uncommon for men to marry younger women and for women to prefer to marry older men.

What has changed, however, is the age difference between husband and wife in recent years, bringing us to one of the most commonly asked questions today: Is a significant age difference a big problem for a marriage?

Average Marital Age Difference Through the Years

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the average age of men and women who married was 29 years for men and 26 years for women.

By the mid-twentieth century, it was 26 years for men and 23 years fоr women, a change attributed tо thе emergence of nuclear families in society.

But by the еnd оf century, it was back to where it was at the beginning of the century, with factors ѕuсh аѕ education, women becoming more financially independent, and better contraception cited as possible reasons why.

But today, with women and men making career one of their highest priorities, things have changed significantly; marriage has taken a back seat.

Does Age Difference Affect Marriage?

The age differences in marriage today can be as much as 15 years. Celebrity couples are prime examples of this trend.

Significant age differences can create challenges for a couple, with some of the most common being a lack of understanding due to generational differences, emotional or physical infidelity, differences in sex drive, and financial issues, еtс.

An age-gap couple can feel the weight of societal pressure and its outright judgment and disapproval of their relationship.

Some studies claim that a significant age gap decreases marital satisfaction over time, seemingly due to how the couple approaches negative financial issues and setbacks. However, it should be noted that money worries and job problems are a common source of marital dissatisfaction among most couples, regardless of the ages of the partners.

Is There An Ideal Age Difference?

Some experts claim that the “ideal” age difference should be 3-5 years due to maturity issues and career development.

However, a couple can successfully navigate the intricacies of an age gap if they understand and work hard to deal with family and financial concerns and blended family challenges.

Also, although going through life stages at different times can pose challenges, it doesn’t have to be a liability; it can actually become something positive.

Besides, what relationship doesn’t face differences and challenges, especially nowadays?

More Than A Number

If you and your partner are willing to put in the work, your age-gap relationship can flourish.

It’s important not to get caught up in the numbers. Love is about much more than ages and numbers.

There are many related factors to a successful marriage such as supportive relationships with other family members, higher levels of education in both partners, financial security, having children, lower levels of neuroticism, or a tendency to experience low moods in both partners, and a tendency to approach your partner with forgiveness, to name a few.

Every successful relationship takes work. Regardless of your ages, you must put forth a genuine effort tо ensure your marriage іѕ a long and happy one.

A relationship age gap is just one of many factors that influence the success of your relationship.  So be encouraged, your marriage isn’t doomed just because there’s a significant age gap between you and your spouse.

Sure you’ll have challenges, but consider this quote from a very interesting and informative article about age-gap relationships over at coupleslearn.com:

“The truth is, there is no ideal or appropriate age gap in a relationship. Whether it’s a 20 year age gap relationship or a 5 year age gap relationship, there will be both challenges and benefits to your situation.”