Dec 6, 2025 08:22 PM
https://www.newsweek.com/loneliest-age-g...d-11162966
INTRO: Middle-aged Americans are now the loneliest age group in the country, according to newly released research from AARP, which shows that adults in their 40s and 50s are more likely to experience feelings of loneliness than any other demographic— including older adults.
The report, based on a survey of 3,276 U.S. adults aged 45 and older, found that 46 percent of people between the ages of 45 and 59 identify as lonely, surpassing the 35 percent of people aged 60 and older who say the same. The trend represents a marked shift in public understanding of loneliness, which is often stereotyped as being most prevalent among older adults.
The data reveals an increase in loneliness among adults 45 and older, with 40 percent saying they are lonely—up from 35 percent in both 2010 and 2018. The findings underscore that middle age, not old age, may be the most socially disconnected period of life for millions of Americans, raising questions about the broader impact on public health and well-being.
The AARP study, conducted in August 2025 by Ipsos through the nationally representative KnowledgePanel®, and held in England and Spanish, shows a consistent pattern: loneliness decreases with age.
The data also highlights a gender divide in how loneliness is experienced. Men are now more likely than women to report being lonely—42 percent compared to 37 percent. This is a reversal from 2018, when levels were nearly identical between genders.
Men are also more likely to report having no close friends, with 17 percent saying so, compared to 13 percent of women.
Loneliness is frequently tied to social networks, and the new research shows that nearly half of those who describe themselves as lonely say they have fewer friends now than they did five years ago. That is significantly higher than the 29 percent of all adults 45 and older who report a decline in their friendships over the same period... (MORE - details)
INTRO: Middle-aged Americans are now the loneliest age group in the country, according to newly released research from AARP, which shows that adults in their 40s and 50s are more likely to experience feelings of loneliness than any other demographic— including older adults.
The report, based on a survey of 3,276 U.S. adults aged 45 and older, found that 46 percent of people between the ages of 45 and 59 identify as lonely, surpassing the 35 percent of people aged 60 and older who say the same. The trend represents a marked shift in public understanding of loneliness, which is often stereotyped as being most prevalent among older adults.
The data reveals an increase in loneliness among adults 45 and older, with 40 percent saying they are lonely—up from 35 percent in both 2010 and 2018. The findings underscore that middle age, not old age, may be the most socially disconnected period of life for millions of Americans, raising questions about the broader impact on public health and well-being.
The AARP study, conducted in August 2025 by Ipsos through the nationally representative KnowledgePanel®, and held in England and Spanish, shows a consistent pattern: loneliness decreases with age.
The data also highlights a gender divide in how loneliness is experienced. Men are now more likely than women to report being lonely—42 percent compared to 37 percent. This is a reversal from 2018, when levels were nearly identical between genders.
Men are also more likely to report having no close friends, with 17 percent saying so, compared to 13 percent of women.
Loneliness is frequently tied to social networks, and the new research shows that nearly half of those who describe themselves as lonely say they have fewer friends now than they did five years ago. That is significantly higher than the 29 percent of all adults 45 and older who report a decline in their friendships over the same period... (MORE - details)