The average age for Americans getting married has reached a historic high[1] -- 27 for women and 29 for men -- a jump from the 1990 average marrying age of 23 for women and 26 for men.[2]


While delaying marriage has advantages -- a lower divorce rate[3] , higher income for women[4] and fewer and less intense arguments between spouses[5] -- 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[6] as those beginning when she is 22.)


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


1. It could make you happier.

According to the National Marriage Project's 2013 "Knot Yet" report[7] , 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[8] 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[9] ).

An analysis[10] of American Community Survey [11] data from 2008 to 2010 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[12] -- even when you control for other factors like age and education.


3. You'll have more sex.

Couples who marry in their 20s tend to have more frequent sex [13] than those who marry later. In a 2011 paper, Dana Rotz of Harvard University wrote that "a four year increase in age at marriage is associated with a couple having sex about one time less per month[14] ." What's more, married people as a whole have more sex[15] than their single counterparts. The sooner you marry, the more time you'll be spending between the sheets.


4. You'll drink less alcohol.

A 2012 study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior[16] found that married and engaged young adults reported lower frequency of drunkenness than those who are not in a serious romantic relationship. "Marriage and engagement likely carry with them a heightened sense of responsibility and obligation and a less active social calendar, which leads to less drunkenness," the study's authors wrote. Laying off alcohol has many health benefits, including weight loss, better sleep, better skin[17] and a reduced risk of some cancers.[18]


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 2010 study by sociologists Norval Glenn and Jeremy Uecker[19] states that "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."


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Also on HuffPost:




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  • Online Gaming Can Hurt Your Marriage


    According to a Brigham Young University study, couples reported <a href="http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/16/is-online-gaming-messing-up-your-marriage/">lower marital satisfaction</a> when one spouse's gaming interfered with bedtime routines. Seventy-five percent of gamers' spouses wished their partners would put more effort into their marriages; however, when both spouses gamed, a majority reported greater satisfaction in their relationships.




  • The "Honeymoon Phase" Is A Myth


    It turns out couples are happiest <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/04/marriage-research_n_2234804.html?utm_hp_ref=marriage">AFTER their first year of marriage</a>, according to an Australian study. Newlyweds were found to have a lower happiness score than couples who had been married longer. Researcher Melissa Weinberg attributed this to a "wedding hangover," or the depressed feeling couples get when the wedding is over and the marriage begins.




  • Getting Angry Can Help Your Relationship


    Florida State University researchers discovered that short-term angry discussions can <a href="http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-08-21/news/33307414_1_relationships-forgiveness-successful-marriage">actually be beneficial</a>. Getting angry can help signal that certain behavior from your partner is unacceptable, said lead researcher James McNulty.




  • Cohabitating Couples Shown To Be Happier Than Married Couples


    A study released in January found that while married couples exhibited health gains (most likely due to marriage benefits such as shared health plans), unmarried cohabitating couples experienced <a href="http://news.health.com/2012/01/23/living-together-may-be-mentally-healthier-than-marriage-study/" target="_hplink">greater happiness and self-esteem</a>.
    Clarification: Language has been amended in this slide to represent more accurately the findings of the report.




  • The Later You Have Sex, The Better Your Relationships


    Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that having sexual intercourse at a later age corresponded with <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/10/19/virginity-and-marriage-_n_1981755.html?just_reloaded=1">less dissatisfaction with relationships</a> in adulthood. Higher education level and household income also corresponded to a later age of first sexual experience.




  • Interracial Marriage Rates And Acceptance Rising


    Not only are <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/16/us/interracial-marriage/index.html">more interracial couples marrying</a>, but interracial marriage is more widely accepted than ever before. In 2010, 15 percent of new marriages in the U.S. were between spouses of different races; in 1980, only 6.7 percent of marriages were interracial.




  • Married People Are Healthier, Live Longer Than Singles


    <a href="http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2012/11/14/study-married-couples-live-longer-healthier-lives-than-singles/">Studies show</a> that married couples experience lower levels of cancer, heart disease, depression and stress. The health benefits are even more pronounced for marrieds than for couples who are simply cohabiting.




  • Young People Expect Marriages To Last


    A survey found that 86 percent of single and married people aged 18-29 <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/17/marriage-expectations_n_1784371.html">expect their marriages</a> to last a lifetime. Researcher Jeffrey Jensen Arnett told HuffPost that young people tend to have a romantic view of marriage and go into marriage determined to make it work.




  • Married Women Drink More Than Single Women


    A <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/20/marriage-alcohol-study-wives-drink-single-women_n_1810133.html">study on marriage and alcohol</a> found that women drink more after getting married, possibly because they are influenced by their husbands (on average, men drink more than women). Men, on the other hand, were found to drink less after getting hitched.




  • Son-In-Law Key To Successful Marriage


    Here's another reason to get along with your in-laws -- unless you're a woman, that is. A <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/in-laws-and-marriage_n_2199637.html">26-year longitudinal study</a> found that when a husband reported having a close relationship with his wife's parents, the couple's risk of divorce decreased by 20 percent. Conversely, when a wife reported having a close relationship with her husband's parents, the couple's risk of divorce increased by 20 percent.