Read the time bands
Two to five years was the largest reported group before engagement. The source reports broad ranges, not a single average from first date to wedding.
How long do couples date before marriage?
The available survey measures dating time before engagement. Time from engagement to the wedding is separate.
By Nora Hale53% of surveyed couples dated two to five years (dated 2–5 years).
The Knot ran a survey in 2024. Nearly 8,000 recently engaged couples took part. This was before engagement, not the wedding.
The Knot 2024 Jewelry & Engagement Study
Check the source ↗The Knot’s 2024 study surveyed nearly 8,000 recently engaged couples. It was not a national sample of all relationships.
2 sourcesTime dating before engagement
| Reported timeline | Share | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 2 years or less | 30% | About three in ten |
| 2–5 years | 53% | Most common broad band |
| 6+ years | 17% | About one in six |
The Knot 2024 Jewelry & Engagement Study of nearly 8,000 recently engaged couples. The result is not nationally representative of all relationships.
Who took part?
The survey includes couples who became engaged and chose to respond. It leaves out relationships that ended or continued without engagement.
Sources (2)
The Knot 2024 Jewelry & Engagement Study
The Knot 2024 Jewelry & Engagement Study ↗
Published summary of dating duration among nearly 8,000 recently engaged couples.
Census Historical Marital Status Tables ↗
Federal marriage measures for contrast; Census does not publish a dating-start-to-marriage average.
Common questions
Is there an official U.S. average for time before marriage?
The Census reports marital status and age at first marriage, but not the start date of each relationship.
Does the survey show timelines by age?
The published results used here do not provide a complete age-by-age table.
Marriage timing and rates
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About Nora Hale
Nora Hale writes about looking for love today, from choosing a dating app to wondering why dating feels so hard. She uses research to answer the questions people ask along the way.
Meet Nora and read more