Is it considered normal to be single in Chicago in your thirties?

[nowincal11]

Originally Posted by chicago103

I am a guy who just turned 30 a few months ago and I live near the edge of the city and don't feel strange at all. Part of it may be my family background, both of my parents married later, my mom was 30 and my dad was 36 and this was back in 1978 and they didn't even have kids right away, I was their first child when my mom was going on 33 and my dad going on 39 when I was born. My paternal grandfather was 35 when he got married way back in 1941. So I seem to be going down the same path as my paternal line, when they were my age my father and his father hadn't even met the woman they would marry yet.

I know for women there is still a little more pressure for biological reasons but still I know a number of 30 year old women and attractive ones at that which are not married yet, I just don't see the big deal. I live on the edge of the city and both of my neighboring households have guys about my age that are single, on one side a guy in his late 20's living with his parents, my neighbors on the other side have a 35 year old single son living with his parents. Of course there are always examples of people in their 20's who are married and have children but really in this day and age in my experience people are all over the map in terms of when they get married and have kids. On the contrary I would find a place where my situation is considered unusual to be the weird place. Lastly I have always found life to be easier when you don't give a damn what and when other people do things and what others may think about. I do what I want to do when I want to do it and not based on some cliche of what I should be doing or where I should be living at a certain age. I am not referring to the OP of this thread but I do notice that there are a lot of threads on this forum which ask the question "would I be considered strange if I did X or was Y in Chicago" or "how much money should someone my age be making in Chicago, how much money do I need to make to feel normal in Chicago" to those questions my answer always is why should you give a damn? If you are happy living the way you are and like Chicago then just move here and live how you want and to hell with what other people think. For such a supposedly enlightened and individualistic society there are way too many people out there that are concerned about being conformists.

Beyond that I cringe when I hear transplant yuppies say that Chicago is great for young single people in their 20's, I mean its great that they like it here but the implication is that they don't see themselves settling down here and that is something as a city we must address. As far as I am concerned Chicago is for the young, old, married, single, kids and everything in between, the very notion that Chicago is best for only a certain age or socioeconomic demographic is as far as I am concerned is simplistic, conformist and ultimately anti-Chicago.

I think you tend to see older children living with their parents more so in the city than the suburbs. More ethnic neighborhoods, closer proximity to activities, and the fact that the neighborhoods in the city have a mix of everybody leads to this more than the suburbs.

The suburbs aren't as ethnic with ethnic values, it is farther for late 20 somethings or 30 somethings to go to activities from the burbs, and the belief the suburbs are more for families.

[SmartGXL]

To the OP:

Are you the same person from this thread over on Yelp?

Chicago's 30's dating scene: are there still single men or are they all married?? | Chicago | Yelp

[nJohn]

Unless you're a serial killer, child kidnapper or still live with your parents I think you're okay. Forget age "checkpoints."