Are You Ahead or Behind When it Comes to Major Life Milestones?

There are so many milestones in a human lifetime. From graduating high school to getting married to retiring, there’s always something big to look forward to, no matter our age. Life Storage recently surveyed hundreds of people and asked when they experienced some of the biggest moments in life.

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One of the more interesting results from this survey involved asking at what age people thought they’d get married compared to when they actually did. The expected marriage age for 40% of those polled was between the ages of 19 and 25, when in reality only 30% ended up getting married during this time. The most significant difference in expectation vs. reality was for those who were not yet married or thought they’d never get married. Only 12% suspected they would not get married, when in actuality a staggering 37% were not currently married when polled.

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Gender also has a big role in when milestones are reached. When it comes to getting their first full-time job, males and females put up similar numbers. The main difference between genders came from those 25 and younger. While the majority of women started working by the age of 18, most men didn’t start until they were between the ages of 19 and 25.

Generational divides also had an affect on the ages we experience major life events. Take for example, the age most people go to college. For millennials, 61% of those surveyed were enrolled in college by age 18, while only 32% of baby boomers and 36% of gen-xers were enrolled by the same age. But it’s where those numbers are made up that really paints an interesting picture because baby boomers and gen-xers were actually much more likely to not attend college at all. In fact, the percentage from those generations who did not go to college are over twice that of millennials.

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The age people purchased their first home also showed insightful generational divides. While the majority of baby boomers bought their first homes between the ages of 19 and 30, an astounding 71% of millennials, who are currently between the ages of 23 and 38, have yet to purchase a home. It appears millennials are either waiting until later in life to purchase a home or possibility choose not to buy at all.

What do your major life milestones look like when compared to others?