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Is D.C. the loneliest city?
More than 35 million Americans are one-person households, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And Washington, D.C. tops the list with the most people who live alone. So, what do D.C. residents think?
WASHINGTON - Single-person households in the U.S. are on the rise, with nearly 30% of Americans living alone – and D.C. is one of the ‘loneliest’ cities.
As loneliness is steadily increasing, sources have qualified single-person households as a "loneliness epidemic."
In 2018, loneliness statistics
In 1970, the share of solo households doubled to 18% and has tripled to 29 % by 2022. There are several societal trends intertwined with the solo-living movement such as gender, marriage, birth, and age demographics.
Research states that living arrangements of older adults are closely tied to their marital status, with 53% of them married and living with their spouses in 2014, up slightly in recent decades. Most importantly, the rise of single-person households is the result of women entering the workforce and achieving economic independence.
In spite of the narrowing of the gender gap, men remain about half as likely as women to live alone as they did a few decades ago. According to reports, this gender imbalance in older people living alone is attributable to men remarrying more frequently after widowhood or divorce than women.
In a recent study, over 2,000 people ranging in age from 18 to 89 were surveyed across the U.S. Researchers found that living alone, having poor health, and minimal social interaction predict loneliness across all age groups.
Some researchers consider living alone a risk factor for additional physical and mental health issues, from heart disease to obesity, anxiety and depression.
Here are the top 10 loneliest states:
1. Maine
2. Vermont
3. Oregon
4. West Virginia
5. New Mexico
6. Arkansas
7. Kentucky
8. Indiana
9. New Hampshire
10. Oklahoma
According to a new study from the Chamber of Commerce, D.C. has also been named one of the loneliest cities in America. The survey revealed 36 million adult Americans live alone, more than ten percent of the country’s population. The number of one-person households in D.C. has increased by nearly six percent in the past six years.
DC is the loneliest city, according to U.S. Census
More than 35 million Americans are one-person households, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And Washington, D.C. tops the list with the most people who live alone.