Single U.S. adults who consider a potential partner’s income important said a realistic ideal salary averaged $139,000 annually, according to a Northwestern Mutual survey conducted by The Harris Poll. Millennials, defined in the study as ages 30 to 45, set the highest expectation at $160,000, followed by Gen Z at $135,000, Gen X at $123,000 and Boomers at $125,000. The survey included respondents aged 18 and older. Those expectations substantially exceed median annual earnings across comparable U.S. age groups. St. Louis Fed data analyzed by Investopedia put median earnings at $72,020 for people ages 35 to 44, $71,604 for ages 45 to 54, $59,800 for ages 25 to 34 and the $60,000s for people 65 and older. Expectations also differed by gender: men preferred partners earning $101,000, while women preferred $172,000. The gap comes amid persistent gender pay differences. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. agency that tracks labor-market data, reported median usual weekly earnings for full-time wage and salaried men of $1,380 in the second quarter of 2026, compared with $1,131 for women. Among people aged 25 and older, the figures were $1,459 for men and $1,171 for women. Pew Research said women earned 85% of men’s average earnings in 2024, up from 81% in 2003. Still, 59% of singles said a potential partner’s income was not important. Younger respondents were also more likely to discuss finances early in relationships and to rank financial compatibility above emotional chemistry, physical attraction or shared interests. Financial pressure is also delaying major milestones: 31% of Gen Z and 24% of Millennials cited it as an obstacle to buying a house, while 24% of Gen Z and 14% of Millennials said it could delay or prevent having children.