Chart: Young Adult Milestones, 1975 vs. 2016

The following pie charts compare four common milestones of adulthood — getting married, having children, working, and living independently — achieved by young adults ages 25 to 34 in 1975 and 2016. The data indicates that the experiences of young people today are more diverse, with fewer accomplishing all four milestones in young adulthood. Instead, many young adults are delaying or forgoing some experiences (marrying and having children) in favor of others (living independently and gaining work experience).