age gap for couples?

[Outofin]

No, it's not a competition. But you won anyway, congrats! You do math with a style, my old friend.

[geraldc]

Aren't Chinese astrological opposites 6 yrs apart? So there should be very few couples with a 6 yr difference.

[jkhsu]

Outofin says:

Use your data:

Average age of men: 30

Average age of women: 28

With different samples:

Three men, 25, 30 and 35, marry:

Three women, 30, 28 and 26

Giving age gaps of 5, 2, and 9

Average age gap: 5.33 years

Roddy says:

-5, 2, 9 = 6, average of 2. I still win. If it's a competition.

Based on the information above, I would say that the "average age gap" between the couples in the sample is 5.33 years. But the average age of the men is 2 years older than the average age of the women.

[Brian US]

There's the facts and then there is the expectation. When I go out with my classmates and all the 22 year old girls bring up the fact they are looking for someone who is 5+ years older adds to the discussion that this would be perceived very differently in the West. Granted this is from graduate students in China and in the big city.

Jbradfor makes an excellent point about building a future together. 22 year old guys don't really meet the high expectation of having a house, car, and asking a girl to come over to watch a movie in your dorm with three other guys doesn't really fall under the romantic category. Can't blame a girl for trying, but I also wouldn't wish on my worst enemy the bombardment you would get as a single 30 year old going home for new year.

[geraldc]

The most famous example of the age gap must be Wendi Deng, Rupert Murdoch's wife. Their age difference is only 37 years, but after the way she physically defended her husband when he was attacked, the questions about her commitment/love for him in the press kind of went away.

[Brian US]

but after the way she physically defended her husband when he was attacked, the questions about her commitment/love for him in the press kind of went away.

Top comment from one news article on the matter:

"I protect piles of cash lying around my house too"

[Lu]

Jbradfor makes an excellent point about building a future together. 22 year old guys don't really meet the high expectation of having a house, car, and asking a girl to come over to watch a movie in your dorm with three other guys doesn't really fall under the romantic category. Can't blame a girl for trying, but I also wouldn't wish on my worst enemy the bombardment you would get as a single 30 year old going home for new year.

Yes, watching a movie in the dorm is not romantic. Isn't that why university couples go to the park and sit on benches and such?

Incidentally, the couples I see usually seem to have a very small age gap. Maybe the ones with bigger age gaps don't walk around or take the metro or go to restaurants but just take his car from her place to his apartment and that's why they're not visible, but there seems to be quite a large number of similar-age couples. Which seems to fit roddy's statistics. Amazing.

[yialanliu]

Alas, what I wrote gets credited to Jbradfor

Although I think it is important to probably look at statistics on education where age gaps might vary for people with different education levels.

[Brian US]

I took away from what Jbradfor said as money being important in Western culture, but that the money was earned together. This stresses the importance of a relationship being on equal standing and forming a partnership. At first glance, a 35 year old will probably bring more to the table than a 25 year old and this may continue throughout the relationship as the age gap is associated with an income gap.

As much as any couple may deny, I'm sure there will be some uncertainties on both sides when there is a large income gap.

[jbradfor]

I think this is a case where actions speak louder than words. Men may talk about wanting to date women 20 years their junior (just not when there wives are within earshot....), woman may talk about wanting to date older men (that are richer / more established), but when you account for opportunity (i.e. for most of us, most of our social peers are roughly our age), and yes I would say interests / life stage, most people marry within a couple years of our age.

Alas, what I wrote gets credited to Jbradfor

Nyah, nyah! [Actually, I think Brian was referring to my post #6, which is a bit different than your post #5.]