Overview
- An AARP/Ipsos survey of 3,276 adults 45 and older conducted in August 2025 reports 40% feel lonely, up from 35% in both 2010 and 2018.
- Loneliness peaks in midlife, with 49% of adults ages 45–49 reporting it and 46% among those 45–59, while rates are lower for people 60 and older.
- Men report higher loneliness than women (42% vs. 37%), and prevalence is especially high among people who never married (62%) and those not working (57%).
- Respondents report shrinking friend networks, and technology plays a mixed role: many use it to stay connected, yet one in four lonely adults say it makes close friendships harder.
- Medical experts link loneliness to higher risks of heart disease, stroke and dementia, and separate research finds substantial loneliness among young adults, including highly connected, educated women.