Couples everywhere are asking when the right time to move in together is. Maybe they’re spending all their time in the same apartment anyway, so it may be a simple matter of moving the rest of their clothes and a few dishes. But the idea of couples cohabiting can become more complicated to navigate through than it seems. There’s getting the bills paid on time. There’s sick days of coughing and sneezing. There’s the never-ending tasks of keeping the house clean and the lawn mowed.
In the cohabiting decision, as with most things, timing is crucial. Here are results of a survey we conducted that provides some useful insights.
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How long should a couple wait before moving in together?
We surveyed the country for responses from a range of ages, incomes and locations. Here are the overall responses:
-Less than 6 months: 9.8%
-6 months-1 year: 21.2%
-1-2 years: 22.9%
-2-3 years: 7.5%
-More than 3 years: 3.6%
-After marriage: 32.5%
-Other: 2.6% (responses included “it depends” and “however long they want”)
By Age:
Older respondents are more likely to move in together after they marry.
Age 18-24: 20.4% of respondents in their age group
Age 25-34: 26.5%
Age 35-44: 25.4%
Age 45-54: 29.6%
Age 55-64: 45.5%
Age 65+: 44.7%
Here’s the full breakout by age group:
18-24
-Less than 6 months: 5.6%
-6 months-1 year: 18.5%
-1-2 years: 38.9%
-2-3 years: 14.8%
-More than 3 years: 1.9%
-After marriage: 20.4%
-Other: 0.0%
25-34
-Less than 6 months: 8.8%
-6 months-1 year: 22.1%
-1-2 years: 30.9%
-2-3 years: 2.9%
-More than 3 years: 7.4%
-After marriage: 26.5%
-Other: 1.5%
35-44
-Less than 6 months: 9.9%
-6 months-1 year: 28.2%
-1-2 years: 22.5%
-2-3 years: 4.2%
-More than 3 years: 5.6%
-After marriage: 25.4%
-Other: 4.2%
45-54
-Less than 6 months: 14.1%
-6 months-1 year: 23.9%
-1-2 years: 16.9%
-2-3 years: 8.5%
-More than 3 years: 5.6%
-After marriage: 29.6%
-Other: 1.4%
55-64
-Less than 6 months: 6.1%
-6 months-1 year: 15.2%
-1-2 years: 19.7%
-2-3 years: 6.1%
-More than 3 years: 3.0%
-After marriage: 45.5%
-Other: 4.5%
65+
-Less than 6 months: 5.3%
-6 months-1 year: 21.1%
-1-2 years: 18.4%
-2-3 years: 5.3%
-More than 3 years: 2.6%
-After marriage: 44.7%
-Other: 2.6%
By Gender:
Females said:
-Less than 6 months: 8.6%
-6 months-1 year: 20.5%
-1-2 years: 21.1%
-2-3 years: 7.0%
-More than 3 years: 5.4%
-After marriage: 34.6%
-Other: 2.7%
Males said:
-Less than 6 months: 9.1%
-6 months-1 year: 23.4%
-1-2 years: 25.4%
-2-3 years: 6.2%
-More than 3 years: 3.3%
-After marriage:30.1%
-Other: 2.4%
By Geography:
More West Coast couples will move in together before the 6-month mark than any other region.
-West: 18.3%
-Midwest: 7.1%
-Northeast: 4.5%
-South: 8.5%
Here’s the full breakout by geography:
West
-Less than 6 months: 18.3%
-6 months-1 year: 20.9%
-1-2 years: 21.7%
-2-3 years: 6.1%
-More than 3 years: 2.6%
-After marriage: 27.8%
-Other: 2.6%
Midwest
-Less than 6 months: 7.1%
-6 months-1 year: 22.7%
-1-2 years: 23.4%
-2-3 years: 7.8%
-More than 3 years: 2.6%
-After marriage: 33.8%
-Other: 2.6%
Northeast
-Less than 6 months: 4.5%
-6 months-1 year: 17.9%
-1-2 years: 31.3%
-2-3 years: 11.9%
-More than 3 years: 7.5%
-After marriage: 23.9%
-Other: 3.0%
South
-Less than 6 months: 8.5%
-6 months-1 year: 20.8%
-1-2 years: 18.5%
-2-3 years: 6.2%
-More than 3 years: 3.8%
-After marriage: 40.0%
-Other: 2.3%
[tweetthis]When is the best time to #move in with your #BF or #GF? See how your demographic votes! [/tweetthis]
By Income:
Combining finances, whether through cohabitation or marriage, is never easy. Here’s how quickly couples moved in together based on income brackets.
$0-$24,999
-Less than 6 months: 12.8%
-6 months-1 year: 25.5%
-1-2 years: 23.4%
-2-3 years: 6.4%
-More than 3 years: 2.1%
-After marriage: 29.8%
-Other: 0.0%
$25,000-$49,999
-Less than 6 months: 11.5%
-6 months-1 year: 16.8%
-1-2 years: 19.5%
-2-3 years: 8.0%
-More than 3 years: 3.8%
-After marriage: 37.8%
-Other: 2.7%
$50,000-$74,999
-Less than 6 months: 7.9%
-6 months-1 year: 29.7%
-1-2 years: 24.8%
-2-3 years: 7.9%
-More than 3 years: 2.0%
-After marriage: 24.8%
-Other: 3.0%
$75,000-$99,999
-Less than 6 months: 3.2%
-6 months-1 year: 22.6%
-1-2 years: 32.3%
-2-3 years: 6.5%
-More than 3 years: 6.5%
-After marriage: 29.0%
-Other: 0.0%
$100,000+
-Less than 6 months: 6.7%
-6 months-1 year: 26.7%
-1-2 years: 40.0%
-2-3 years: 0.0%
-More than 3 years: 0.0%
-After marriage: 13.3%
-Other: 13.3%
By Urban Density
Rural couples are more likely to move in together before 6-months than urban and suburban pairs
-Urban: 9.5% of urban responders
-Suburban: 8.6%
-Rural: 15.5%
Here’s the full breakout by urban density:
Urban
-Less than 6 months: 9.5%
-6 months-1 year: 19.6%
-1-2 years: 26.2%
-2-3 years: 8.3%
-More than 3 years: 2.4%
-After marriage: 29.8%
-Other: 4.2%
Suburban
-Less than 6 months: 8.6%
-6 months-1 year: 23.3%
-1-2 years: 23.3%
-2-3 years: 6.2%
-More than 3 years: 2.9%
-After marriage: 34.3%
-Other: 1.4%
Rural
-Less than 6 months: 15.5%
-6 months-1 year: 15.5%
-1-2 years: 16.9%
-2-3 years: 7.0%
-More than 3 years: 7.0%
-After marriage: 35.2%
-Other: 2.8%
The survey results show there’s no right answer to this question and that each couple must decide for themselves when the time is right to cohabit.