Overview
- Among Americans aged 25 to 34, the share living without a spouse or partner has doubled over five decades to 50% of men and 41% of women.
- In 26 of the 30 richest countries, the proportion living alone has risen since 2010, according to reporting based on The Economist’s analysis.
- Surveys show that although many singles report satisfaction, roughly 60% to 73% would prefer to be in a relationship.
- Experts cite tech-driven selectivity and polarized politics as barriers to pairing, including reported height filters on Bumble and widening ideological gaps between young men and women.
- Consequences include pressure on already falling fertility and greater loneliness, with about one-third of adults living alone in Finland and Sweden, small but notable interest in AI companions near 7%, and calls to boost male education and household participation.