Here’s a snapshot of the life of the average 20-something.

33% of 20-somethings call a new apartment home every year. 40% of these aspiring adults will move back in with their parents at least once during their 20s.

A 20-something will swipe through an average of 7 different jobs, 2/3rds will at one point live with a romantic partner before marriage, and the median age of a woman during her first marriage is 27.8 years of age.

So where do you fit in? Well, that all depends. 

There’s a clear difference between a freshly minted 20-year-old and a woman on the cusp of turning 30. Both in their professional development and brain chemistry, these women have distinct differences. Both may still pull all-nighters, although the reasons for doing so vary. While our hypothetical 20-year-old is binging red bull and studying for finals, the 29-year-old is feeding her 3-month-old newborn.

Women in their 20s are influx. It doesn’t matter if she’s a day over 20 or nearly 30, each woman is living a unique life full of vicissitudes in an ever-changing world. This is what ties all 20-year-old together, but what sets them apart?

Before lumping all women in their 20s together, let’s make some distinctions. 

Unlike the days of old, most women don’t graduate with a BA by the age of 22. In fact, just 41% of students graduate in 4 years. 

Don’t be surprised to learn that that 24-year-old you just matched with on Tinder is still getting her BA.Women nowadays also attend graduate school at higher rates than men. Women outnumber men in grad school 137 to 100. It may not be until her mid-to-late 20s that she begins her career. 

As for women in their late 20s, growing their professional careers is the name of the game, however, there are other factors that provide nuance to the life of women 25 and older. The average age of a woman when she first marries is 27.8 years of age. 

But that doesn’t mean women find their forever partner at the age of 27. On average couples date for 4.9 years before getting married. Women tend to marry their 3rd significant partner, while a third of women marry their first loves. 

While understanding the life of a 20-something is useful, this only sheds light on half of the dynamic. Your life will change depending on how old you are in relation to your partner. Are you two going through the same life challenges or are you cozily ensconced in your routine while she’s still apartment hunting?

How to Date a Woman in Her 20’s

How to date a woman in her 20s changes depending on how old you are. Let’s explore the dynamic as we paint a picture of what each dynamic looks like as the age gap widens. 

When You’re In Your 20s

The older a woman becomes, the more likely she is to date someone closer to her in age. Women find men older than them more attractive as they’re seen as more serious partners. Older men have more resources, more wisdom, and are ready to settle down. But as women age the ideal age of their partner changes and the age gap decreases. It’s when trying to date a woman in your 20s that you’ll see the most competition, as she considers partners that are both her age and much older. 

While a preference to date older men exists, generally speaking, women in their 20s date men in their 20s. It’s natural as both of you are going through the same things. But it’s these commonalities that might also hinder a sustainable relationship. Let’s harken back to the first line of this article, “33% of 20-somethings call a new apartment home every year.”

This will work both for and against you. On the downside, the girl you’re dating doesn’t live a stationary life. Planting roots might be hard if she keeps moving further away from you. On the flip side, you too are going through the same changes. If you move just as frequently as her, you not only understand but are accustomed to such changes. Not being tied down means it’s easier to make major life decisions such as uprooting your life and moving in together. 

While women in their 20’s have a preference for older men, as we’ve discussed, this doesn’t tell the whole story. It isn’t necessarily the age they’re attracted to, it’s maturity, both mentally and professionally. If you can show someone your age that you’re established both emotionally and professionally, she’ll be just as attracted to you as she would be to a man that’s a few years older. 

In other words, get your shit together. 

Move out of your parent’s house, get a job you love that allows you to grow, get fit, and surround yourself with a great social circle. It’s these moves that will help you compete with 30-somethings… speaking of which.

Honestly, even if you’re still going through the unenvious transition of moving out of your parent’s house, you’re still going to be capable of meeting a 20-something woman seeing as though she’s going through the same changes. Sure you might be lower on the totem pole, but if you leverage the vitality of youth and your similarities, you’ll overcome any risk of becoming another sexless statistic. 

How To Date A Woman In Her 20s As a 30-something

If you’re a 30-year-old man reading this, congrats. Most likely you have a steady job, savings, a car, don’t take shots of fireball every Friday night, and have already vacationed extensively through Europe. This is what women want. The days of partying until dawn and sleeping on the couch at a friend’s apartment as you try to find a new place to live are bygone. And this is why she wants you.

In fact, when compared to your 20-year old self, being just years older makes you substantially more attractive according to a study published in Science Advances that polled 186,000 users of an unnamed dating apps.

Now that you’re at an age where 20-year-old women are salivating to partner up with you, you have your options. But not all 20 somethings are worth investing in. How to date a woman in her 20s is a vague question. What you should be asking is how to date a younger woman in her early 20s, one in her mid-20s, and one that’s about to turn 30. The greater the age gap the more potential problems that can arise. 

While you’re more into going to a show and returning home before 1 a.m. the fresh graduate you’re dating insists on slicing up the after-party until the morning rays tap her on the shoulder and signal that now it’s time to return home. Your priorities differ the greater the age gap.

A woman in her older 20s that already has an established career may feel her internal and external clocks ticking. She now has an urge to shack up after seeing that all her friends are getting married. What better man to pair up with than a slightly more established man in his 30s? 

Don’t wait to ask her the questions that matter until you’re on your way to becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. Before the third date figure out what she’s looking for. Is she keeping things light and just wants to date around or is she looking for a serious relationship?

Also, remember that 20-somethings live fickle lives. They move and change jobs often. Are you ready to enter into a relationship that could see your girlfriend move away to pursue a job? Be sure to voice all these questions before investing too much time into a relationship that already has an expiration date. 

When You’re In Your 40s

How to date a woman in her 20s when you’re in your 40s? 

I know what you’re thinking. There’s no way a woman in her mid-20s wants to date a 42-year-old man. You can keep on thinking that, but the studies don’t lie. 

Remember that 186,000 people study I previously mentioned? It turns out women on dating apps aren’t most attracted to 30-somethings. What they found is that a man’s desirability peaks between the ages of 40 and 50. You heard right.

Men become more attractive as they age while the opposite happen with women. Men’s desirability peaks in their 40s and only begins to decline once in their 50s. But this decline isn’t a sharp plummet, it’s just as gradual as its ascendency. 

Now that the ball is in your court, you can take control. You know that meeting women through dating apps (fyi, here’s an exhaustive list of free dating apps) is more than possible, but should you? That all depends on what you’re looking for. 

Ask yourself why a younger woman wants to date a man that’s old enough to be her father. She’s probably most interested in you because of your financial security, professional success, safety, and loyalty.

For many women, dating an older man is an exotic experience that they feel they have to try before it’s too late. For others, it’s about finding a sugar daddy that will help support them through college. Every woman has her own reasons for dating an older man. What’s important is that you find them out in a timely manner. To do so, I suggest MegaDating. 

What is MegaDating?

MD is the act of simultaneously dating multiple women. But not just any dating strategy enables you to effectively date prolifically. MegaDating comes with a dating blueprint that is perfect for men dating substantially younger women.

If following the MD blueprint, the first date involves hanging out for no longer than an hour and spending no more than $10. As if that wouldn’t weed out enough gold diggers, the second date requires that no money be spent and that the date be active. 

Before investing in her you should know that relationships with an age gap of more than 10 years tend to not work out.

Study after study has shown that 10 is the magic number. This isn’t to say that dating a woman 10+ years younger won’t work out, but that history has shown us that a successful long-term relationship is less likely as the age gap increases. 

This is why relationships with younger women should never be rushed into. Don’t force a connection or manipulate her with your social status. Learn what she’s looking for so that you can adjust your expectations accordingly.

The studies support the claim that women are attracted to men older than them. But all the studies in the world still might not imbue you with the confidence or skills to attempt to date a younger female.

Studies don’t help with dating skills. But you know what does? Me. Book a 1-on-1 Skype session to learn how to court 20-somethings. In my Signature Program I’ll teach you the skills you need to date women of any age. Stop asking your friends for their cliche advance and book a session with me, a dating coach and your professional wingwoman.