Ladies, we’ve heard it all before when it comes to love, dating, and marriage advice. (Hi, well-meaning grandma, thanks for that cow vs. milk tip, and BFF who’s currently in the “perfect” relationship—bless your heart.) While there are certain predictors of what makes a successful union, the latest research is showing that age could be a telling factor.
A recent study found that couples who are closer in age have a greater chance of staying together. Meanwhile, data from over 3,000 newly married and divorced Americans showed that partners with
a 1-year age gap were 3 percent more likely to divorce, compared to couples of the same-age. Whereas a 5-year difference equals an 18 percent increased likelihood of splitting up and a 10-year difference, 39 percent.
However, once those numbers become even larger—20-, 30-year differences—the odds of divorce are significantly higher. We have to note though that statistics are not a 100 percent guarantee. Marriage is without a doubt a partnership and if you and your significant other are able to share fully in that, well your chances of sticking together are that much better.
There are many predictors of the success of a marriage, among them the having of money, the having of children, and the length of time a couple spends dating before they tie the knot. Another big predictor, though, is age: The closer a couple is when it comes to their respective birth years, the greater their chances of avoiding divorce.
That's according to a study that compiled polling data from more than 3,000 recently married and divorced Americans. The study—the overall findings of which my colleague Olga Khazan highlighted last month—used a multivariate model to calculate the factors that seemed to best predict the marriage's chances of success. (Or, at any rate, its chances of not ending in divorce.) Its results were visualized by the data scientist Randy Olson, who created a series of charts to illustrate the study's findings.
