A perfect age difference between a man and a woman: does it exist?

Nobody knows the universal formula for a happy relationship and the ideal age difference between a man and a woman, which will work for absolutely every couple. However, there are statistics and various psychological factors that partners with a large age difference face.

Today we offer to find out what conclusions scientists have come to, and what, in addition to age, affects the spouses' chances to live a happy life together. In that way, if you are interested in senior dating on ladadate.com/senior-dating, it is reasonable to be aware of some peculiarities. However, don’t be afraid to try your luck.

How did scientists identify the perfect age difference?

The study, the results of which are presented in most materials on the question of what age difference between lovers is ideal, was conducted by American scientists Hugo Mialon and Andrew Francis from Emory University, which is located in Atlanta, with the assistance of Randal Olsen from Michigan State University.

Interestingly, the main objective of this research (in which 3,000 people took part) was not to study the age difference at all. The study was aimed at analyzing the costs of the wedding and engagement and tried to identify whether they affect the longevity of the relationship.

The results showed that this factor is not at all connected with the strength of the union — a modest wedding without excesses has the same chances to become the beginning of a successful marriage as a grandiose celebration.

However, even though the original topic of the study was different, in the process of studying such factors as the cost of engagement and wedding, the scientists managed to collect other potentially important data. Among them:

- Age;

- Ethnicity;

- Religiosity;

- The level of education;

- Employment status;

- Income;

- Family size.

This allowed the authors to identify the best age difference that helps make relationships stronger.

Given the foregoing, it is worth noting that this study did not aim to make a final conclusion about ideal age breaks in relationships. Instead, scholars sought to better understand the trends in romantic relationships and the factors associated with them.

The age difference between a man and a woman: study results

In the course of this study, several interesting conclusions were made about the durability of the union with a different age gap between partners. Let's look at them in order.

- The age difference of one year
It was found that relationships involving spouses with a difference in age of one year or less lasted the longest, and they had the lowest chance of a break — only 3%.

- The age difference of five years
Married couples with a difference of about five years old have a divorce rate of 18%.

- The age difference of 10 years
Couples with a 10-year age gap between them have a divorce rate of 39%.

- The age difference of 20 years or more
According to the study, the biggest age difference between spouses also has the highest chance of a break, with a divorce rate of as much as 95%.

This means that relationships that last the longest and appear to be the most positive include minimal age gaps. And the higher the age difference, the greater the likelihood of a divorce.