Henan is over 29 years old, Heilongjiang has an average of over 31 years old, and Chinese youth are getting married later and later. Jiangsu | Data | Youth

The latest quarterly statistical report released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs shows that the number of marriages in China in 2022 was 6.833 million. The first financial reporter sorted out the data and found that this data set a new low since 1986.

Behind the record low number of marriages are multiple factors such as delayed marriage and childbirth age, reduced number of eligible marriages, changes in ideological concepts, and the impact of the epidemic. Among them, the significant delay in the age of marriage, especially the age of first marriage, is a key factor. According to the China Census Yearbook-2020, the average age of first marriage in China in 2020 was 28.67 years old, an increase of 3.78 years from the average age of first marriage in 2010.

The average age of first marriage in Heilongjiang exceeds 31 years old

The First Financial Journalist sorted out the average age of first marriage data for 17 provinces based on the population census yearbooks released by various provinces since last year and data released by some provincial civil affairs departments. The data shows that the average age of first marriage in all 17 provinces has exceeded 27 years old, with 8 provinces having an average age of first marriage exceeding 29 years old and Heilongjiang having an average age of first marriage exceeding 31 years old.

It should be noted that out of the 17 provinces, 16 provinces have data from their population census yearbooks, which are from 2020. In addition, the data for Jiangsu is the 2022 provincial marriage registration big data released by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Civil Affairs in February this year.

Among the 17 provinces, Heilongjiang and Liaoning in Northeast China rank in the top two, with an average first marriage age of 31.48 years in Heilongjiang and 29.79 years in Liaoning, which is also close to 30 years old. Among them, the average age of first marriage for men in Liaoning has reached 30.43 years old.

Why is the first marriage in Northeast China later? Professor Yi Baozhong from the Northeast Asia Research Institute of Jilin University analyzed that the late age of first marriage in Northeast China is mainly related to the earlier and higher degree of urbanization. Urbanization will bring about changes in people's ideological concepts. Moreover, during the family planning period, late marriage and childbirth were encouraged. Although late marriage and childbirth were only advocated and not mandatory, they were implemented relatively well within the system. Due to the large proportion of employees in state-owned enterprises and administrative institutions in Northeast China, the implementation of family planning in the past was relatively good, which also led to the concept of late marriage and delayed childbirth.

On the other hand, the Northeast region itself is an immigrant area without any clan beliefs, and the influence of traditional fertility concepts is relatively small.

After Heilongjiang and Liaoning, the average age of first marriage in Hunan and Beijing exceeds 29.5 years old, approaching 30 years old. Among them, the average age of first marriage for men in Hunan and Beijing in 2020 was over 30 years old.

The average age of first marriage in Tianjin, Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, and Henan is also over 29 years old. Among them, in 2020, the average age of first marriage for men in Guangxi reached 30.36 years old, and the average age of first marriage for men in Tianjin and Inner Mongolia was also close to 30 years old.

The average age of first marriage in Hebei, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Guizhou is between 27 and 28 years old. Among them, the average age of first marriage in Guizhou in 2020 was 27.26 years old, 1.41 years younger than the national average age of first marriage. Overall, due to the relatively late urbanization and industrialization process in Guizhou, the average age of first marriage will also be lower.

Average age of first marriage data for 17 provinces

Note: The data for Jiangsu is for 2022, while the data for other provinces are from the seventh national population census in 2020.

Why is the average age of first marriage significantly delayed

The trend of changes in the average age of first marriage since 2010 is worth paying attention to.

According to the China Census Yearbook-2020, a journalist from First Financial News found that the average age of first marriage in China changed relatively slowly from 1980 to 2010. The average age of first marriage in 1980 was 23.59 years old, and in 2010, the average age of first marriage was 24.89 years old. In the second decade of the 21st century, the average age of first marriage has shown a rapid upward trend. The average age of first marriage in China in 2020 was 28.67 years, a sharp increase of 3.78 years from the average age of first marriage of 24.89 years in 2010!

From the perspective of various regions, the average age of first marriage has shown a rapid increase since 2010. Taking Henan, a populous province, as an example, the average age of first marriage in Henan was 23.53 years old in 1980 and 23.61 years old in 2010, with a small change over the past 30 years. But from 2010 to 2020, the average age of first marriage increased by 5.41 years.

Professor Ren Yuan from the Population Research Institute of Fudan University analyzed that the age of first marriage is influenced by multiple factors. In addition to the impact of changes in employment and lifestyle during industrialization and urbanization, a relatively important factor is the improvement of people's education level. The longer education years of the 80s and 90s generations have led to a significant delay in their marriage age.

It is worth noting that from the perspective of changes in China's urbanization rate, around 2010 is an important dividing point. By the end of 2010, China's urbanization rate had already approached 50%. By 2011, China's urbanization rate had reached 51.83%.

Professor Ding Jinhong, Director of the Population Research Institute of East China Normal University, analyzed the first financial analysis that an important turning point in the changes in marriage and family forms in China was around 2010. The urbanization rate accounts for more than half, which means that more people live in urban areas than in rural areas. During this process, the new concept of family and marriage in cities gradually takes over, so the changes from 2010 to 2020 were very rapid. In addition, with the expansion of enrollment in universities and the extension of the overall education years of young people, the age of marriage is also constantly delayed. Ding Jinhong predicts that the trend of late marriage in China will continue in the future.

On January 20, 2022, Yang Jinrui, Deputy Director of the Population and Family Department of the National Health Commission, said in response to questions from reporters that as the new main body of marriage and childbirth, the majority of the "post-90s" and "post-00s" grew up and worked in urban areas, with longer education years, facing greater employment competition pressure, and the phenomenon of delayed marriage and childbirth is very prominent.

For example, many people who graduate with a master's degree are usually 25 or 26 years old, and after working for a few years, they are approaching 30 years old, so they will get married later.

Professor Jiang Quanbao from the Institute of Population and Development at Xi'an Jiaotong University analyzed the situation of employment pressure on young people. At the same time, the cost of living in big cities, including housing prices and marriage and childbirth costs, is relatively high. As a result, young people are facing greater economic pressure, and the overall age of marriage is being postponed. In addition, changes in ideological concepts have a significant impact, and the concept of late marriage or non marriage is also an important reason for delaying the age of marriage.

According to Ding Jinhong's analysis, the main group entering the marriageable age is the post-90s generation. In the 1990s, the birth rate continued to decline for many years, and with the postponement of the marriage age, although the number of marriages may fluctuate in the next 5 to 10 years, the overall trend will still show a downward trend.