Doobie Doo
Veteran
Recent research from the Pew Research Center suggests that one in four adults may remain single for their entire lives. As of 2019, about 38% of U.S. adults aged 25 to 54 were unpartnered—neither married nor living with a romantic partner. Among adults over the age of 65, nearly half of women are unpartnered, with 49% falling into this category. While these statistics might suggest lifelong singlehood, they don’t always reflect the full context. Many of those counted as single may be divorced, widowed, or in long-term relationships that don’t involve cohabitation or legal marriage. The rise in singlehood is tied to larger social changes, including shifting cultural values around marriage, increasing financial independence—especially among women—and evolving relationship norms. The Pew Research Center also highlights how movements centered on celibacy or dating abstinence, such as “boy sober” or “girl sober,” reflect a growing choice among individuals to prioritize autonomy or protest societal expectations. Despite assumptions about loneliness, many unpartnered adults—particularly older women—report high life satisfaction and a strong sense of fulfillment, embracing singlehood as an intentional and empowered lifestyle.
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