Survey Finds 21% Of Gen Zers Won’t Even Consider Marrying Someone Who Makes Less Money Than Them
Given the times they've grown up in, this isn't really surprising.
Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley | Shutterstock Every generation tends to change the mores of its time, but when it comes to Gen Z, it seems like shake-ups are everywhere. And when it comes to love and relationships, the cohort just might be rattling the status quo in ways that seem shallow or pragmatic, depending on your view.
A survey found that 21% of Gen Z won't even consider marrying someone who makes less money than them.
"Marrying for money" tends to conjure one of two images — gold-digging jezebels, or debutantes looking to secure their status in the social hierarchies of bygone eras. Or maybe I've just been watching too much "Downton Abbey" and "Gilded Age."
In any case, a lot of Gen Zers seem to be returning to this practice — or hoping to, anyway, according to a survey of 2,000 individuals between the ages of 18 and 27 conducted by education site EduBirdie.
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They found that 21% of Gen Zers wouldn't even consider getting with someone who makes less money than them. But the data also shows Gen Z is chasing bank accounts for very different reasons than we tend to assume.
A large majority of Gen Zers believe money is the key to happiness.
Twenty-one percent may be a substantial proportion, but it's only 1 in 5 at the end of the day — which means far more of the age group values love and companionship over finances. Still, the economic anxiety in which Gen Z has come of age is all over EduBirdie's findings.
A surprising 57% of respondents said they believe money is the key to happiness, and respondents have firm goals to make major six-figure salaries. Like much of Gen Z's takes on life, this flies in the face of the conventional wisdom most of the rest of us have been raised on that "the best things in life are free," for example.
But that doesn't ring true for Gen Z for good reason, and it's not because they're materialistic — it's because they're worried. For example, 41% of respondents to the survey said they rely on their parents for financial stability. That, while not quite as bad as the 46% found in a headline-grabbing study by Bank of America last year, is nonetheless pretty staggering.
Darkening the picture even more is the guilt that comes with not being able to fully support themselves. Of those relying on their parents financially, 21% of respondents said they feel guilty for accepting their parents' help.
Most Gen Z respondents, however, had a more 'all in this together' approach to financial insecurity in relationships.
If the entirety of those surveyed had said their number one relationship criteria was wealth, it would certainly be understandable — just look at the economic turmoil in which they've lived. However, the survey reveals a far more egalitarian and collaborative outlook.
Despite that 21% who want a high earner, 40% of Gen Z respondents said love is more important than finances and financial compatibility. Another 40% said they're unbothered by an income imbalance with a partner, and 54% said they'd be open to dating someone who makes significantly less than them.
Most revealing of all, perhaps, is that 65% said that if their partner were struggling financially, they'd support them indefinitely, showing just how well acquainted with struggle the generation is — it seems to have given most of them a "we're all in this together" kind of ethos.
Where Millennials were concerned with improving equality between genders when it comes to things like parenting and household duties, Gen Z's focus is on breaking down those roles when it comes to money, too. And that will only help Gen Z couples as they work toward their goals in the long run.
John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.