After two decades of steady growth, the percentage of U.S. adults living without a spouse or partner has declined slightly since 2019, according to a new analysis by the Pew Research Center. The study, based on Census Bureau data, found that 42% of adults were unpartnered in 2023, down from 44% in 2019.
The survey revealed modest increases in both marriage and cohabitation rates. The share of adults who are married rose from 50% to 51%, while those cohabiting with an unmarried partner increased from 6% to 7% over the same period.
While the overall decline in unpartnered adults spans all age groups, certain demographic patterns persist. Women are more likely than men to be unpartnered (44% vs. 40%), and younger adults remain the most likely age group to be single. Among those aged 18 to 24, 86% are unpartnered, compared to 42% of adults aged 25 to 39, 29% of those aged 40 to 54, and 41% of adults aged 65 and older.
The survey also highlighted a significant gender-age divide. Men under 40 are more likely than women of the same age to be unpartnered. However, the trend reverses in older age groups, with women over 40 — particularly those 65 and older — being more likely to live without a spouse or partner (51% compared to 29% of men in the same age group).
Race and ethnicity also play a role in partnership trends. Black adults are the most likely to be unpartnered (61%), followed by Hispanic adults (45%), White adults (38%), and Asian adults (35%). Additionally, U.S.-born adults are more likely to be unpartnered (44%) compared to foreign-born adults (33%).
Education level is another key factor. Adults without a high school diploma are significantly more likely to be unpartnered (44%) than those with at least a bachelor’s degree (30%).
The survey also found notable economic disparities between partnered and unpartnered adults. Previous Pew research shows that single adults, particularly men, are less likely to be employed and tend to earn less than their partnered counterparts. Data from a 2023 Federal Reserve survey underscores this divide, with 64% of unpartnered adults reporting they were doing “at least OK” financially, compared to 77% of partnered adults.
Despite the slight uptick in marriage rates, the data does not suggest a resurgence in new marriages. Instead, the decline in the share of unpartnered adults appears to be driven by a record-low divorce rate. In 2023, only 1.4% of married adults reported getting divorced in the previous year, down from a peak of 2.0% in 2012.
While the factors behind these shifting trends remain complex, the findings suggest that declining divorce rates, rather than a surge in new marriages, are contributing to the modest rise in partnered adults in the United States.
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