Number of single adults in US falls for first time in nearly 20 years: ‘Singleness has peaked’

Is the single season over?

The number of adults without partners – single, living with a partner or in a committed romantic relationship – has fallen for the first time in nearly 20 years. This is good news for men’s wallets.

About 42% of adults were unpartnered in 2023, up from a peak of 44% in 2019, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data.

Meanwhile, the percentage of adults who were married increased from 50% to 51% from 2019 to 2023 along with the percentage of adults cohabiting with an unmarried partner – from 6% to 7%.

“Celibacy has reached its peak”, said Dr. Richard Fry, a labor economist who conducted the survey, told CBS News.

But it’s not like more people are tying the knot.

Marriage rates have remained stable, but the divorce rate – which peaked at 2% in 2012 – fell to a record low of 1.4% in 2023.

“In my practice over the past decade, I’ve noticed a gradual shift from ‘romantic marriage’ to ‘companion marriage,’ which means people are increasingly choosing mates early on who are more like friends better than passionate partners.” Ian Kerner, a licensed marriage and family therapist, told CNN, explaining the drop in divorces.

But who is still sitting at a table for one?

The likelihood of being single varies by race, education, and nativity.

About 61% of black adults are without a partner, compared to 45% of Hispanic adults, 38% of white adults, and 35% of Asian adults.

Meanwhile, those with at least a bachelor’s degree and born in the US are more likely to be without a partner.

Men younger than 40 are more likely to be without a partner than women in their age group. But once they hit the big 4-0, women are more likely to be without a partner, with 51% of women 65 and over being single, compared to just 29% of men in the same age group.

And they are okay with that.

According to a study recently published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, women like to fly solo much more than men.

In every question, single women answered that they were more satisfied with their lives than single men. They were happier being alone, less likely to desire a significant other, more sexually satisfied, and more satisfied overall.

Single men “have more to gain from partnering than single women,” experts said.

Fry noted that “from a purely economic perspective, adults who have partners appear to be better off financially.” This was especially true for men.

Only about 64% of single adults said they were at least financially well off, compared to 77% of partnered adults. But men are even worse off financially when they are alone, with single men far less likely than partnered men to be employed.

“Financially successful men are more attractive partners, but marriage also makes them more successful at work,” Fry said.

“Men are more productive if they get married.”