PURPOSE: Early marriage (EM), also known as child marriage, is a marriage or union between two people when one or both are under 18. Globally, risk factors for EM and the consequences on depressive symptoms (DSs) have been poorly understood. The current study aimed to investigate risk factors for EM and the correlation between EM and DSs. METHODS: A total of 402 married people were randomly selected from the general population of Malekan County, Iran, from 2017 to 2018. Depression was assessed in the participants after EM through family physicians' medical records in the community health centers. Data were collected using valid and structured instruments as well as face-to-face interviews. Multiple logistic regression analysis was carried out to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the relationship between EM and DSs. RESULTS: The overall and sex-based prevalence of EM was 21.64% (n = 87), i.e., 69 (26.5%) in females and 19 (13.4%) in males, respectively. In the regression analysis, the low educational level of EM people (AOR = 4.27: 1.28-14.35), their parental (AOR = 5.53: 2.14-17.22), female sex (AOR = 1.58: 1.07-2.33), and family low income (AOR = 2.74: 1.00-7.84), and being a housewife (AOR = 1.71: 1.22-3.26) were identified as the most reliable predictors of EM. In the final analysis, after adjusting for the potential confounders, EM was associated with an increased risk of DSs (AOR = 1.60: 1.2-2.72). CONCLUSION: Based on the results, EM is common and associated with DSs in this county. Our study provides preliminary findings to guide future studies, given that this issue has been neglected in previous investigations. Progress in reducing EM and addressing its full set of consequences can occur through political commitment and combining the experiences and voices of people affected by EM.