Italy’s marriage landscape continues to evolve, with new data showing that Italians are marrying later in life while increasingly opting for cohabitation before or instead of formal marriage.
According to the National Institute of Statistics (Istat), these shifts reflect deep-rooted demographic and cultural changes that are reshaping family formation across the country .
In 2024, the average age at first marriage rose further to 34.8 years for men and 32.8 years for women.
By comparison, in 2011 the average age at first marriage stood at 32.6 for men and 30.1 for women, underscoring how significantly marriage has been postponed over time.
Delayed independence drives later marriages
Istat attributes this postponement largely to prolonged stays in the family of origin, particularly among younger adults.
Data from the Aspects of Daily Life survey show that 63.3% of young Italians remain living with their parents until at least the age of 35, up from 61.2% in 2012.
This delayed transition to independent living has a direct impact on the timing of marriage, as economic uncertainty and difficulties entering stable employment continue to delay key life milestones .
Periods of unfavourable economic conditions further amplify this trend, pushing young people to postpone not only marriage but also broader plans related to forming a household and starting a family.
Fewer first marriages, weaker recovery at later ages
The impact of delayed marriage is also visible in the declining intensity of first marriages.
In 2024, the total first-nuptial rate which estimates how many first marriages would occur among a hypothetical generation of 1,000 individuals fell to 372 per 1,000 men and 422 per 1,000 women, both down from the previous year.
The decline indicates that postponed marriages are not being fully recovered later in life .
Age-specific data reinforce this pattern. Among men, 56.9% married before the age of 34 in 2024, down from 63.0% in 2019.
For women, the share fell from 76.0% to 69.9% over the same period. These figures suggest that marriage postponement is not merely a temporary delay but part of a broader shift in life trajectories .
Cohabitation becomes a central stage in relationships
Alongside later marriage, cohabitation has become increasingly widespread. Istat notes a sharp rise in so-called free unions, non-marital cohabitations which now function both as a stable alternative to marriage and as a transitional phase that may precede it.
Between 2000–2001 and 2023–2024, the number of people living in free unions almost quadrupled, rising from about 440,000 to more than 1.7 million .
This increase is driven mainly by individuals who are single or have never married, highlighting how cohabitation has become a central feature of modern relationship patterns in Italy.
The spread of premarital cohabitation is closely linked to delayed marriage, as couples increasingly choose to live together without immediately formalising their union.
A long-term transformation of family models
Istat emphasises that the postponement of marriage is not solely the result of short-term fluctuations.
Structural factors such as declining birth rates have reduced the size of younger generations, while cultural changes have reshaped attitudes toward marriage itself. Together, these dynamics are redefining how and when Italians form couples and families.
As a result, later marriage, prolonged cohabitation and extended residence in the parental home are no longer exceptions but defining features of Italy’s contemporary demographic landscape trends that continue to influence marriage patterns well beyond 2024.
Shahriena Shukri is a journalist covering business and economic news in Malaysia, providing insights on market trends, corporate developments, and financial policies. More about Shahriena Shukri
