http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/11/us-usa-women-relatives-idUSKCN0T01X820151111

A record portion of young U.S. women are living with parents or other relatives, largely because of higher college attendance and delayed marriage, a research report said on Wednesday.

The Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data showed that 36.4 percent of women ages 18 to 34 lived with family in 2014, mostly in the home of mother, father or both.

The number tops the record set in 1940, when 36.2 percent of young women lived with relatives, the analysis said. 1940 is the earliest year for comparable data.

Among young men, 42.8 percent were living with relatives last year, below the 1940 high of 47.5 percent.

"The result is a striking U-shaped curve for young women - and young men - indicating a return to the past, statistically speaking," Pew said.

Young women are more likely now to be enrolled in college than in previous decades, with 27 percent of them college students last year, the report said. That compares with 5 percent in 1960.

Last year, 45 percent of young females in college, including those enrolled part time and at community college, lived with family. Among those not in college, a third lived with family.

Many young women are putting off marriage compared with those in previous decades, making staying at home more likely, the report said. In 2013, 30 percent of young women were married, compared with 62 percent in 1940.

The share of young women living with parents or other relatives bottomed at 20 percent in 1960. The upturn increased sharply after 2000 and has not reversed despite a labor market recovery after the Great Recession of 2007-2009, the report said.

The average age to get married has always been going up. Getting married later is not bad... give people time to discern marriage and don't just assume they're ready at 18 or 19. There's still time to have children at 26, 27, 28.

Considering that people used to get married EVEN YOUNGER in the past, it's pretty messed up that marriage isn't happening for so many people until their 30's.

26-28? That's not the half of it. More like 30's. And no, by that point there's not much time to have a good Catholic-sized family. For some women, it might already be too late.

Our children delayed, because the Mr. Right or Miss Right, was not around.  They are harder and harder to come by.  My husband and I went to a catholic school together and that helps to find someone that is "right".  Our son said, we had it easy.

If young women are staying home with mom and dad, that is great.  Maybe they will not be living with others in sin.  Helps to save the money for college as well.

What I don't like seeing are those living in sin and getting benefits: single mom for example.  

The average age to get married has always been going up. Getting married later is not bad... give people time to discern marriage and don't just assume they're ready at 18 or 19. There's still time to have children at 26, 27, 28.

Generally speaking women should marry or enter a convent in their teen years.

This discussion has come up numerous times on CI so I know I'm in the minority on this one but I have never been in favor of early marriage.  That said I realize that worldlings delay for the wrong reason; good Catholics should wait long enough to be mature enough for the challenges of life and marriage.  I have yet to meet a traditional "kid" ready to marry at 22, much less 18.  Just my 2¢.

I agree. Simply pushing marriage on young teens at 18, 19 or 20 is foolish. They do not know what they want at this age - believe me as someone of this age group.

Quote from: Marlelar

This discussion has come up numerous times on CI so I know I'm in the minority on this one but I have never been in favor of early marriage.  That said I realize that worldlings delay for the wrong reason; good Catholics should wait long enough to be mature enough for the challenges of life and marriage.  I have yet to meet a traditional "kid" ready to marry at 22, much less 18.  Just my 2¢.

I agree. Simply pushing marriage on young teens at 18, 19 or 20 is foolish. They do not know what they want at this age - believe me as someone of this age group.

As a parent, one does not simply "push marriage" at that age; one helps one's children to be the sort of people who could marry young.  They need to be given responsibilities as they are growing up.  They need to be taught skills.  They need a close trusting relationship with their parents so they accept advice from parents on marriage decisions.  Young married couples need continued advice and emotional support from their parents.

People raised in the world or with the standards of the world are not ready for marriage until they are older and often they are never ready.  But traditional Catholics should have a completely different approach to life than that of the world.  Parents used to raise children who were capable of marrying in their late teens and there is no reason why we can't do so now.

People do not need to "know what they want" (at least not in the way the world means this) in order to get married.  They need to understand, really understand deep down, making a permanent commitment.  They get that from seeing it in their parents.  The main thing that people need in order to get married is the realization that divorce is not an option.