“People are worried about their economic futures,” says professor Geoff MacDonald in a New York Times article that features his research on income and relationship readiness.
So single people are putting off relationships until they are earning enough money to sustain one.
“There’s so much gig work and temporary work. You might be moving cities every couple of years. No wonder you’re hesitant to commit to something,” MacDonald says.
A pair of studies led by MacDonald and Carleton University professor Johanna Peetz found that single people with higher incomes are more likely to want a relationship, feel like they are ready for one, and actually start one up.
Interestingly, they found that higher incomes were not linked to more satisfaction with singlehood. MacDonald believes that a higher income may move people to a phase in life where they feel like a partner is what they need to feel fulfilled.