Find a Quality Husband: The Relationship Between Income and Age Gaps

The literature has established that women marry older men with greater economic resources. This study builds upon and expands this understanding by introducing a theoretical model and subsequent empirical examinations. Given a woman's age and income, the model demonstrates that if she chooses to marry an older man, his income must be significantly higher to offset the positive age difference, which is considered a “bad” good. This leads to a positive correlation between a husband and a wife’s income and age gaps. Also, our findings suggest that high-income women may face challenges finding a quality husband. Empirical estimations using Chinese household survey data further support the model predictions, showing a positive correlation between the income gap and the age gap in newly married couples and a negative correlation between a woman’s income and the likelihood of marriage.