How long should I wait for him?

I’ve been dating this guy for 9 months now and he still hasn’t said I love you yet. I tried talking to him about it because I care deeply for him and want to say it to him but he told me that he just wasn’t at that point yet. Everyone we know says that he looks like he loves me because he is a good boyfriend and I know he cares about me but I just don’t know how long I should wait for him to say it before I feel like i’m wasting my time on something that will never happen. I’m ready to go to the next step in the relationship and say I love you but right now he isn’t. I know he had this same issue with his past girlfriend he had which ultimately led to their breakup. Is this an issue and should I be worried? We are exclusive and everyone knows we are together but I feel distant from him because we can’t exchange these words to each other. Please give me any advice you have on this subject!