While you might legally become an adult at 18, the question remains: when do most people truly feel mature or believe they should start behaving like one?
In my view, the twenties can often mirror teenage years, the thirties are a period of gaining greater clarity, and by the forties, individuals tend to feel more settled and assured in themselves.
But when do others think that, despite the legal definition, actual ‘adulting’ should commence?
Life Happens, an insurance agency, along with Talker Research conducted a survey titled ‘Adulthood Across Generations’.
This survey involved 2,000 Americans, divided equally across generations: 500 from each category including Gen Z adults, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers.
For clarity, Gen Z encompasses those born between 1995 and 2012, Millennials cover 1980 to 1994, Generation X includes those born from 1965 to 1979, and Baby Boomers range from 1946 to 1964.
The findings revealed that those surveyed identified the age of 27 as the time when people generally start ‘feeling’ like adults. But why this particular age?
Many respondents attributed this sense of adulthood to achieving certain financial milestones. This feeling coincides with the age of 28, when participants reported becoming more serious about managing their finances.
According to Talker Research, 56 percent of participants indicated they felt like adults once they started paying their own bills, and 45 percent when they achieved financial independence.
Additionally, 46 percent mentioned they ‘felt’ adult-like after moving out of their parents’ home.
Furthermore, 40 percent of those polled believe obtaining life insurance signifies adulthood, with 53 percent of Gen Z particularly agreeing with this view.
However, this transition into adulthood isn’t always embraced, as 56 percent of respondents feel overburdened by financial responsibilities, and 71 percent believe it’s tougher to be an adult now compared to 30 years ago. Additionally, 72 percent highlighted the impact of the cost of living crisis.