Gen Z, Hope College and 'Ring by Spring'
March 11, 2026
Valentine’s Day focuses the full (though transient) force of American media and culture on romantic love. It commonly appears as a subject of much interest to social scientists, cultural commentators and college students. Journalists have characterized Gen Z as a whole as less socially connected. Dating rates are lower than 40 years ago, dropping from 85% of 12th graders having gone on a date in 1985 to less than 50% in the early 2020s, according to Derek Thompson at The Atlantic.
The average age of marriage has also steadily climbed over the last decades. According to the National Center for Marriage & Family Research, on average, people married at 30.5 years old in 2022. But these low dating rates don’t necessarily imply there’s no desire for romantic relationships or long-term commitment. A 2024 Institute for Family Studies survey found the vast majority of young adults want to marry eventually. The hurdles to dating in the current cultural moment seem almost too obvious to point out. The rise of social media and less in-person social interaction, AI, changing cultural and gender norms have contributed the most to current dating trends.
