On an average weekend morning in lower Manhattan, 20- and 30-somethings clad in athleisure are seated or waiting in line for their coffee orders. Most stare down at devices, scrolling, swiping or texting. The age of technology has caught up to the first generation that grew up with iPhones—Gen Z—and it’s influenced how they interact with the world. Relationships included.
Since 2019, dating apps have been the most popular way engaged couples meet. Historically, people most often found marriage prospects within their community, through mutual friends, at a restaurant, bar or coffee shop, or at work or school. Yet the last decade has seen an evolution in dating habits: 28 percent of all to-be-weds are now swiping, vetting and engaging with potential partners online. Seventy-five percent of couples still meet through other mediums, but societal dating and marital habits have evolved as people have become increasingly reliant on technology.
Another story is playing out for millennials, many of whom experienced the shift from dial-up internet to high-speed Wi-Fi and were among the beta testers of dating apps. There are more single people over 40 than ever before. In 2021, a quarter of 40-year-olds in the US had never been married, up from 20 percent in 2010 and 6 percent in 1980. Of course, this is due to multiple factors. Women are
