Demographic shifts show rising single-person households and delayed marriage

Demographic trends across Europe and the Balkans show a significant rise in single-person households and a delay in marriage ages. In the European Union, the number of single-person households without children reached 76.1 million in 2025, marking a 19.2 percent increase since 2016. Factors contributing to this shift include changing social habits, housing costs, and economic circumstances, as well as personal choices regarding career and independence.

In the Balkan region, marriage ages have shifted from the early 20s to the mid-30s. Bosnia and Herzegovina reports some of the youngest marriage ages in the region, with men averaging 30 and women 27.3. In contrast, Serbia and Croatia show a trend toward later marriages, with Serbian men averaging 34.4 years old. Other regional data indicates that North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Albania also follow patterns of delayed partnership formation, often influenced by housing availability and lower birth rates.