[linotype]

This is the real answer. If you’re 26 in the Midwest, odds are many of the women a person would date are already married with a kid or two.

[jalapenos]

Not sure about US culture, but this seems to carry a peculiar assumption that men should date around same age? Because I doubt most 20yo women in "midwest" are married with a kid or two. Maybe some bits of cultural bagage you need to shed there.

[SkyPuncher]

Might not have two kids, but not single is absolutely true. People here tend to find a partner pretty quickly in life.

Anecdotally, a friend is trying to date in her early 30s and basically has no dating pool. Not many single men in their 30s have a stable job, crime free background, and avoid hard drugs.

[jalapenos]

A good lesson for everyone: your life's time horizon isn't anywhere close to your life expectancy. There are things you need to get right before 30 if you don't want the rest of your life to be misery.

[bradlys]

The US is also very expensive place to live. If you don’t get with someone similar to yourself, you’re sandbagging your financial situation.

Most people can’t afford a single income household here in the US.

[AnimalMuppet]

I'm not really in the market, but I would expect that most Midwest women wouldn't be opposed to dating a man who is a few years older.