According to the latest data from the General Statistics Office, Vietnamese men get married when they are nearly 30 years old. In 2023, the average age of first marriage is 27.2; an increase from 26.9 in 2022 and 26.2 in 2021.
For men, the average age of first marriage is 29.3 years, while for women it is 25.1. On average, people in urban areas get married at 28.6 years old; in rural areas, the figure is 26.3.
Statistics reflect a trend of young people getting married later or not getting married at all. The reasons are said to be due to the busy pace of modern life, time-consuming work, financial pressure or focusing on career efforts.
Career advancement becomes a goal to strive for before the age of 35 for many people.
Phan Linh, 29 years old, an employee of a technology corporation in Hanoi, shared: “I spent 4 years in university, during which I worked as an intern and when I graduated, I applied for a job.
When I was 24 or 25 years old, my family urged me to get married, but I didn’t think about it at that time. I wanted to have a stable job, spend time traveling and visiting many places. I thought getting married and having children was still early.”
Or Hoang Nam, 31 years old, is still in no hurry to find someone to build a home with even though his friends already have children.
Nam expressed: “My parents searched many places and introduced me to many people, but maybe it was fate, I haven’t found anyone suitable yet. I want to spend more time on personal hobbies such as wandering around taking photos, traveling to new lands or simply living a free single life.”
Phan Linh and Nam are not isolated cases. Even young people who have found a lover are still hesitant to get married because they are afraid that after marriage and having children, they will face financial pressure. The cost of raising children, living expenses, stress from the hustle and bustle of work… make them hesitate to get married, or they are not in a hurry to have children after marriage. Some couples choose to have only one child, then focus on working to improve their finances.
The trend of late marriage or reluctance to have children leads to a decrease in the birth rate. In 2023, the birth rate in Vietnam is alarmingly low. According to the statistics of the Population Department, nationwide, 1.96 children per woman in 2023 is the lowest level in the past 63 years and is forecast to decrease further. When the birth rate is low and this situation persists, the problem arises of a shortage of labor force and an increased risk of population aging.
This is not a problem unique to Vietnamese society. In recent years, the trend of late marriage has become popular in China, Korea...
In Europe, the problem of late marriage and “laziness” in having children is a matter of concern. European authorities must introduce social support measures to increase the birth rate to avoid the population aging too quickly.
In Vietnam, there is a policy of rewarding women with money when they give birth to two children before the age of 35 to encourage couples. Or offering incentives when buying social housing, tuition fees... to promote increased birth rates.
In 2023, the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 588 approving the "Program to adjust birth rates to suit regions and groups by 2030". Accordingly, men and women are encouraged to get married before the age of 30 and have children early.
