Single-person households range from widowers to divorcees to young professionals. And likewise, the concentration of their locations also varies. A study conducted by Aging In Place discovered which states struggle the most with loneliness. The data also reveal the states that are home to the highest proportion of single-person households.
State breakdown:
District of Columbia: Population: 714,153. Single-person households: 44.75%
North Dakota: Population: 770,026. Single-person households: 33.66%
Vermont: Population: 623,251. Single-person households: 31.64%
New Mexico: Population: 2,105,005. Single-person households: 31.32%
Maine: Population: 1,354,522. Single-person households: 31.19%
Ohio: Population: 11,714,618. Single-person households: 31.08%
Rhode Island: Population: 1,061,509. Single-person households: 31.02%
Illinois: Population: 12,569,321. Single-person households: 30.77%
Montana: Population: 1,085,004. Single-person households: 30.69%
New York: Population: 19,299,981. Single-person households: 30.50%
Demographic insights:
The District of Columbia, which ranks first, has the lowest median age of all states and a large swath of professionals. This indicates that most of those living alone are young professionals pursuing their careers.
North Dakota, which ranks second, has been a leader in job and population growth; according to census data, North Dakota experienced a 15.83% increase in population between 2010 and 2020. This indicates a presence of young professionals living alone, similar to the District of Columbia.
For more information, visit https://aginginplace.org/loneliest-states/.
