A new Pew Research Center analysis reveals major changes in how older Americans are living — with fewer adults over 65 living alone than in decades past, and more living with a spouse or family.
In 2023, 26% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older lived alone. That’s down from 29% in 1990. While it may seem like a small drop, researchers say it reflects shifting family structures, increased longevity, and broader changes in how older adults approach retirement and aging.
The decline is driven entirely by older women. In 1990, 38% of women over 65 lived alone. By 2023, that number had dropped to 31%. Meanwhile, men in the same age group are now more likely to live alone than in the past — 19% did so in 2023, up from 15% three decades earlier.
Today, more older adults are living with a spouse than at any other time in modern U.S. history. Over half — 54% — live with a spouse, a record high dating back to 1900. Women are now much more likely to remain married later in life due to longer life expectancy and lower rates of widowhood.
Other living arrangements are on the rise too. About 22% of older adults now live in multigenerational households, up from 17% in 1990. This shift has been especially strong among adults aged 85 and older. Researchers note that this arrangement can offer social support and financial stability — especially since older adults who live alone are more likely to experience poverty. In 2023, 20% of older adults living alone were in poverty, compared with just 6% of those who lived with others.
Older adults in multigenerational homes, on the other hand, tend to fare better. Among those aged 85 and older, only 7% living in multigenerational households were in poverty, compared to 16% living in other arrangements.
At the same time, fewer seniors are residing in nursing homes or group living settings. Only 3% of older adults lived in such settings in 2023, down from 6% in 1990. The trend is especially pronounced among women 85 and older: just 12% lived in group quarters last year, compared to 27% in 1990.
The data also show wide demographic differences. Black older adults are more likely than white, Hispanic, or Asian seniors to live alone. U.S.-born seniors are also more likely to live alone than those born outside the country.
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