At What Age Do Men Generally Want To Settle Down?

If you have ever been in a relationship and you can tell that things are getting serious, you have likely asked yourself if your partner is ready to settle down. Uncovering if a man is ready to settle down can make or break a relationship. 

Yet, it’s better to know if your man is thinking of settling down so that you don’t needlessly waste your time. Undoubtedly the last thing you likely want to do is spend months or even years pining over someone who doesn’t see your relationship as the end game. 

Although there haven’t been numerous scientific studies on the matter, many relationships and dating experts have weighed in on what they believe the age is when men decide they want to settle down. We have used their insights and other sources to determine the age we believe men want to settle down. Additionally, we have also uncovered when men actually decide to marry and reaffirm their commitment. 

So if you’re interested in learning the answer to this age-old question and would like to establish if your relationship is going in the right direction, continue reading. 

What Is the Actual Age Most Men Want To Settle Down and Marry?

Interestingly, there was a correlation found between the education level of men and the age they decide to settle down and get married. This correlation was uncovered when marketing researcher John Molloy acquired marriage statistics that enabled him to discern the age most men are likely to settle down or marry based on their education level. He utilized these statistics to write his book Why Men Marry Some Women and Not Others: How to Increase Your Marriage Potential by Up to 60%.

According to Molloy’s research, if a man has only completed high school and has not gone on to study further, he is more inclined to settle down or marry between the ages of 23 and 24. In contrast, he determined that approximately 90% of men who went on and studied further and graduated from higher education were likely to settle down between the ages of 26 and 33. 

However, his research also uncovered when men don’t want to settle down. For example, men who are older than 38 who studied further after high school and graduated were less likely to want to settle down or marry if they had never been married before. 

In addition to Molloy’s findings, many relationship experts have shared similar views. Dating expert Michal Naisteter weighed in on when she believed men choose to settle down. 

Naisteter, who holds a graduate degree in sexuality and who is a matchmaker at the well-known matchmaking company Three Day Rule, once stated that she believes men start wanting to settle down from age 28. Yet, she also stated that there is no definitive age a man will settle down because it depends on the individual. Other factors that affect when a man will consider settling down include how mature he is, if he is secure financially and in his career, and if he has deep-seated fears of commitment. 

The Age Men Marry Around the World

The age a man will settle down also depends on where in the world he lives. Men in higher-income countries tend to get married when they are older compared to lower-income earning countries where men get married at a younger age.

Furthermore, societal changes have also seen men choosing to get married at an older age. To give you a significantly clearer idea of when men settle down, we have sourced the below graphs.

These graphs come from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. They provide examples of the ages that men choose to marry depending on the country they live in. As can be evidenced, men in the US tend to marry later than men from South Sudan. This substantiates the theory that men in higher-income countries tend to marry later in life than those in lower-income countries. 

UN Department of Economics and Social Affairs

UN Department of Economics and Social Affairs

The Five Signs a Man Is Ready To Settle Down

Now that we have looked at what age men settle down and a few of the factors that affect this, we can look at what signs demonstrate when a man is likely ready to settle down. 

1. He Has Made the Decision To Stay Away From the Single Scene

If a man you’re seeing has decided to stay away from the single scene and avoids visiting pubs and nightclubs without you, they might be ready to consider settling down. Additionally, if your man has deleted their Tinder, Bumble, and other dating apps, it could be a sign that he is serious about wanting to nurture and grow a relationship. 

Moreover, should you hear phrases like “I’m too old for the singles scene” or “the single scene isn’t as entertaining or exciting as it was before,” it could be signs that the man in your life is ready to commit to settling down and getting married. 

2. He Has a Healthy Relationship With His Parents

If a man demonstrates to you he has a healthy relationship with his parents; he could be showing signs that he is ready to settle down. Look out for comments about his parent’s marriage and how he sees their love life. It can reveal much about his thoughts on marriage and if he is looking for something his parents have. 

Should your man be stating that he doesn’t believe in marriage and that his parent’s relationship is a faultless example of exactly why people shouldn’t get married, he is likely not ready for marriage. Yet this does not mean he doesn’t want to settle down, as not wanting to be married does not mean he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life with the person he loves. 

3. He Has Been in Past Serious Relationships

A man’s past relationships can be a great insight into if a man is ready to settle down or not. It’s unlikely that you will find out on the first few dates or even the first few months into a relationship if a man has been in serious relationships in the past. 

Yet, it isn’t unreasonable to ask a man you are dating if he has ever seen any of his past relationships ending in marriage. Many dating experts recommend asking this question as it can give you a good idea of if a man currently has a marriage or settling down mindset. 

Essentially if a man has not approached his previous relationships with an openness towards marriage and settling down, it’s unlikely that he will be willing from the start to take his next relationship seriously.

4. He Has a Mature Understanding of Marriage

One of the best signs that demonstrate that a man is ready to settle down is if he has a mature view of marriage. Yet, there is a big difference between someone who thinks they have a mature understanding of marriage and someone who actually does. 

If the guy you are seeing frequently references marriage as being a “ball and chain” or as a perfect situation where someone can “keep him in line,” it is highly unlikely he has a mature understanding of marriage even if he truly believes he does. 

In contrast, if the man you are with talks about settling down or marriage as an opportunity for growth and deep partnership, it’s a positive sign. Comments like these show that he means what he is saying and is taking the idea of a lifelong commitment seriously.

5. He Has Improved His Flaws

When you talk with a man about his past relationships, you need to try and establish why the relationship ended. Finding out why his past relationships ended will allow you to inquire if he thought it might have ever been his fault. If he thinks he is to blame, you can ask if he has changed his problematic ways. 

His willingness to change and improve areas of his life that negatively affect his relationships will give you a better idea of if he is ready to settle down with you. If he isn’t willing to commit to trying to change his flaws and is happy to continue his problematic ways, it’s unlikely he is a man that is ready to settle down or commit to a marriage. 

Now You Know What Age Men Want To Settle Down!

Ultimately, there is no definitive age when a man will settle down. Since there are many different factors that determine when a man will marry, it’s impossible to predict with perfect accuracy when your man is going to be ready to settle down. Yet, according to many experts and researchers, it’s apparent that many men choose to settle down between the ages of 26 and 33.

Additionally, just because there is no definitive age tied to men settling down does not mean there aren’t any signs that your man is seriously considering committing to you. If you keep in mind the signs we discussed, you will have a better idea of when men display signs of wanting to settle down and potentially marry.