Socioeconomic differentials in the transition to first cohabitation in Norway

Using Norwegian data this study examines the impact of individual as well as parental socioeconomic resources on the timing of the transition to first cohabitation. The analyses show that the entrance into a first cohabitation is positively affected by individual level of education, whereas school enrollment delays first cohabitation. Further, respondents whose parents have a secondary or tertiary education start their first cohabitation later than those with lower educated parents. There are, however, important gender differences in the association between socioeconomic variables and the timing of first cohabitation. First, there is a stronger positive association between level of education and timing of first cohabitation for women than is the case for men. The positive effect of income, on the other hand, is more pronounced for men. Lastly, the delaying effect of having a tertiary educated father is stronger for the female sub-sample.