Loneliest people aren't in their 60s but 20s
Live Events Are young adults really lonelier than older people? Why do many people assume loneliness is mainly an older-person problem? Why might people in
Live Events Are young adults really lonelier than older people? Why do many people assume loneliness is mainly an older-person problem? Why might people in their 20s feel lonely despite being constantly connected? Does this mean most people in the world are lonely? What does the survey actually measure? What is the biggest takeaway from the findings? as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Addas a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel For years, loneliness has often been pictured the same way: an older person sitting alone, far removed from friends, family, or community. A global survey suggests that picture may not tell the whole story.The Meta-Gallup Global State of Social Connections survey, conducted across 142 countries and areas and published in 2023, found that nearly one in four people worldwide reported feeling very or fairly lonely. But the group most likely to say they felt lonely was not older adults.It was people in their twenties.According to the survey, 27% of adults aged 19 to 29 reported feeling very or fairly lonely, the highest rate among all age groups measured. Adults aged 65 and older reported the lowest level, at 17%.The finding flips one of the most common assumptions about loneliness on its head.According to the survey, yes.While loneliness exists across every stage of life, young adults were the most likely to describe themselves as feeling lonely.
Older adults, meanwhile, were the least likely to do so.The survey also found that majorities of people aged 45 and older reported not feeling lonely at all. Among those younger than 45, fewer than half said the same.That does not mean older adults never experience loneliness. It does suggest, however, that loneliness may be affecting a much broader range of people than many imagine.Part of the reason is visibility.Retirement, bereavement, health challenges, and reduced mobility are experiences often associated with later life. These changes can affect social connections, making loneliness among older adults easier for people to recognise.What is less visible are the disruptions that often define a person's twenties.This is the period when many people leave school, move cities, start jobs, navigate relationships, build new friendships, and repeatedly adjust to changing social circles.The survey itself does not explain why younger adults reported higher loneliness levels. It simply shows that they did.Researchers have explored several possible explanations.One idea is that early adulthood is a period of constant transition. Friendships that once formed naturally through school or college often require more effort to maintain. Social circles can change rapidly as people relocate for work, education, or personal reasons.A 2025 study published in PLOS One and led by researcher Jeffrey Hall suggested that many young people may not be struggling to make friends as much as they are trying to maintain them while their lives keep changing.Hall described loneliness among some young adults as potentially reflecting "growing pains" rather than permanent isolation.Others have pointed to broader shifts in how people connect.
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