Survey on the Attitudes of Single Men and Women Regarding 'Marriage and Household Finances'
A survey on 'Marriage and Household Finances' conducted by the matchmaking agency O-net among 611 single men and women aged 25-34 revealed a tendency to prioritize 'steadiness' and 'security' in a partner's financial values. Regarding post-marriage work styles, about 80% prefer a 'dual-income' household, establishing it as the standard. For managing finances, a 'partially shared' model, where only living expenses are pooled, was chosen by about half. The most cited future financial anxiety was 'coping with inflation,' highlighting the realistic financial sense and cautiousness of today's youth towards the economic environment.
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- 📰 Published: May 27, 2026 at 11:00
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O-net Inc., a company operating a matchmaking service, conducted a 'Survey on the Attitudes of Single Men and Women Regarding Marriage and Household Finances' with 611 single individuals aged 25-34 nationwide (293 men, 318 women).
In a social environment of rising prices and future uncertainty, values and attitudes toward 'money' in marriage significantly influence partner selection. This survey investigated the financial sense sought in a marriage partner, money matters to confirm before marriage, and attitudes toward post-marriage household management and dual-income households.
The results showed a trend among both men and women to value 'steadiness and security' over 'flashiness.' It also became clear that 'dual-income' households are established as the standard style in modern views on marriage. Regarding post-marriage financial management, many supported a realistic style of 'sharing only what is necessary,' rather than 'complete sharing' or 'completely separate finances.'
■ Do you want to get married in the future?
In the first question, we asked 611 single men and women aged 25-34 about their desire to marry.
The most common answer was 'I want to,' accounting for 47.8% overall (44.7% of men, 50.6% of women). This shows that over 40% of men and about half of women wish to marry.
'I don't know' was the answer for 26.5% overall, and 'I don't want to' for 24.4%, indicating that about one in four of both genders have no desire to marry.
■ What 'financial values' do you consider important in a marriage partner?
Next, we asked 292 respondents who 'want to' marry to select up to two important financial values in a partner.
For men, the most common answers regarding what they value in women were 'not being wasteful' (57.3%) and 'not splurging on luxury brands' (33.6%). For women, the top answers were 'not gambling' (54.0%), followed by 'being debt-free' and 'having a stable income' (both at 49.7%).
These responses show a strong tendency for both genders to prioritize 'steadiness and security' over 'flashiness.' Notably, men focus on everyday spending habits, while women emphasize risk avoidance for future life planning.
■ What 'financial information' would you want to share with each other before marriage?
Respondents were asked to choose up to two pieces of financial information, other than 'annual income,' they would want to share before marriage.
The most common answer for both men and women was 'image of how to share living expenses' (48.9% of men, 55.3% of women). This was followed by 'amount of savings' and 'presence of loans/debt' for men (both 39.7%), and 'presence of loans/debt' (51.6%) and 'amount of savings' (45.3%) for women.
This result indicates a greater emphasis on sharing concrete values about how to support the household financially after marriage, rather than on the income figure itself.
■ What is your desired basic working arrangement for a married couple?
When asked about post-marriage working styles, an overwhelming majority, 79.8% overall (86.3% of men, 74.5% of women), responded that they 'prefer a dual-income household.' This makes it clear that a dual-income setup is established as the standard in modern views on marriage.
■ What is your most ideal form of household financial management after marriage?
When asked about financial management methods, the most common answer for both genders was the 'partially shared model (sharing only living expenses),' chosen by about half of the respondents (49.4% overall). This is thought to reflect a desire to maintain individual freedom and independence while cooperating as a couple. The 'completely shared model' was also chosen by about 30%, while the 'completely separate model' was under 10%.
■ What are your current anxieties about future household finances?
In the final question, we asked about anxieties regarding post-marriage finances.
The most frequent answer was 'coping with inflation,' which at 54.5% overall (59.5% of men, 50.3% of women) significantly outpaced other options. This was followed by 'child-rearing costs' (37.7%), 'home purchase costs' (29.8%), and 'retirement funds' (28.8%).
This result suggests that the younger generation is more wary of the societal environment of continuously rising living costs than of their own income insufficiency. Furthermore, with dual-income being the norm, the anxiety about 'one partner becoming unable to work' was also present for about 26%, indicating that continuing to work as a pair is recognized as a prerequisite for maintaining the household finances.
In a social environment of rising prices and future uncertainty, values and attitudes toward 'money' in marriage significantly influence partner selection. This survey investigated the financial sense sought in a marriage partner, money matters to confirm before marriage, and attitudes toward post-marriage household management and dual-income households.
The results showed a trend among both men and women to value 'steadiness and security' over 'flashiness.' It also became clear that 'dual-income' households are established as the standard style in modern views on marriage. Regarding post-marriage financial management, many supported a realistic style of 'sharing only what is necessary,' rather than 'complete sharing' or 'completely separate finances.'
■ Do you want to get married in the future?
In the first question, we asked 611 single men and women aged 25-34 about their desire to marry.
The most common answer was 'I want to,' accounting for 47.8% overall (44.7% of men, 50.6% of women). This shows that over 40% of men and about half of women wish to marry.
'I don't know' was the answer for 26.5% overall, and 'I don't want to' for 24.4%, indicating that about one in four of both genders have no desire to marry.
■ What 'financial values' do you consider important in a marriage partner?
Next, we asked 292 respondents who 'want to' marry to select up to two important financial values in a partner.
For men, the most common answers regarding what they value in women were 'not being wasteful' (57.3%) and 'not splurging on luxury brands' (33.6%). For women, the top answers were 'not gambling' (54.0%), followed by 'being debt-free' and 'having a stable income' (both at 49.7%).
These responses show a strong tendency for both genders to prioritize 'steadiness and security' over 'flashiness.' Notably, men focus on everyday spending habits, while women emphasize risk avoidance for future life planning.
■ What 'financial information' would you want to share with each other before marriage?
Respondents were asked to choose up to two pieces of financial information, other than 'annual income,' they would want to share before marriage.
The most common answer for both men and women was 'image of how to share living expenses' (48.9% of men, 55.3% of women). This was followed by 'amount of savings' and 'presence of loans/debt' for men (both 39.7%), and 'presence of loans/debt' (51.6%) and 'amount of savings' (45.3%) for women.
This result indicates a greater emphasis on sharing concrete values about how to support the household financially after marriage, rather than on the income figure itself.
■ What is your desired basic working arrangement for a married couple?
When asked about post-marriage working styles, an overwhelming majority, 79.8% overall (86.3% of men, 74.5% of women), responded that they 'prefer a dual-income household.' This makes it clear that a dual-income setup is established as the standard in modern views on marriage.
■ What is your most ideal form of household financial management after marriage?
When asked about financial management methods, the most common answer for both genders was the 'partially shared model (sharing only living expenses),' chosen by about half of the respondents (49.4% overall). This is thought to reflect a desire to maintain individual freedom and independence while cooperating as a couple. The 'completely shared model' was also chosen by about 30%, while the 'completely separate model' was under 10%.
■ What are your current anxieties about future household finances?
In the final question, we asked about anxieties regarding post-marriage finances.
The most frequent answer was 'coping with inflation,' which at 54.5% overall (59.5% of men, 50.3% of women) significantly outpaced other options. This was followed by 'child-rearing costs' (37.7%), 'home purchase costs' (29.8%), and 'retirement funds' (28.8%).
This result suggests that the younger generation is more wary of the societal environment of continuously rising living costs than of their own income insufficiency. Furthermore, with dual-income being the norm, the anxiety about 'one partner becoming unable to work' was also present for about 26%, indicating that continuing to work as a pair is recognized as a prerequisite for maintaining the household finances.
FAQ
Who were the subjects of this survey?
The survey was conducted with 611 single men and women aged 25 to 34 across Japan (293 men, 318 women).
What financial values are most important when choosing a marriage partner?
Both men and women tend to prioritize 'steadiness' and 'security' over extravagance. Specifically, men value 'not being wasteful,' while women value 'not gambling' and 'being debt-free.'
What is the mainstream working style in modern views on marriage?
About 80% hope for a dual-income household, indicating that this has become the standard marital style.
What method of household financial management is preferred after marriage?
The 'partially shared' model, where only living expenses are shared, was the most popular at about 50%, supporting a style that balances spousal cooperation with individual independence.
What is the biggest financial concern after marriage?
'Coping with inflation' was the top concern at 54.5%, showing a stronger apprehension about rising living costs in society than about personal income insufficiency.