Soaring living costs, the rise of gig work, and the near-constant threat of a recession are stretching young people thin. You might think that finding a partner to split rent and groceries with would be an easy remedy.
But new research published in the Journal of Marriage and Family finds that single people with higher incomes are more likely to want a relationship, feel like they are ready for one, and actually start one up.
“I think that young people are making rational calculations in unstable economic conditions,” says Geoff MacDonald, professor in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the Department of Psychology. “I think people get that they are not going to be able to enjoy a relationship if they are working 80 hours a week, or if they’re not sure where they’re going to live next year.”
“Making (Enough for) Love: The Association of Income and Relationship Readiness” delves into two studies conducted by MacDonald and Carleton University professor Johanna Peetz that draws on data collected in the United States and Germany among over 4,800 single people.
In both countries, they found higher income similarly correlated to more positive relationship attitudes, perceived relationship readiness, and greater odds of partnering.
This research highlights the links between the financial well-being of young adults and long-term outcomes like partnering or marriage. It contains a number of policy considerations, particularly for those working to address falling birth rates or the rise of loneliness.
“People may not want to take the step towards commitment until they have that economic foundation,” MacDonald says.
But if higher income spurs a desire to find a partner, does it also make for a happier singlehood for those who stay single? These studies suggest the answer is no—higher incomes were not linked to more satisfaction with singlehood.
MacDonald proposes that a stage theory of life may be behind this disconnect—or the idea that we build our lives a step at a time. He explains that although a good income might help pay for a more enjoyable singlehood, it could also move people to a phase in life where they feel like a partner is what they need to feel fulfilled.
MacDonald expects the results of this research to apply in Canada as well, which falls culturally between the U.S. and Germany. MacDonald and Peetz suggest that further studies can look beyond objective income to consider how other indicators of socioeconomic prospects affect relationship readiness and initiation, like unemployment rates, the burden of debt, and the affordability of housing.
More Information
To learn more about this study or to speak to its authors, please contact:
- Michael Pereira
Communications Officer, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
psy.communications.officer@utoronto.ca