More older Americans are living alone, either by choice or by circumstances, than 50 years ago, according to the US Census Bureau.
As of 2023, about 28% of people aged 65 and older lived by themselves, the agency said. That’s up from about 10% of older adults living alone in 1950.
“This ‘gray revolution’ in Americans’ living arrangements is fueled by longer life spans, rising rates of divorce and childlessness, smaller families … an emphasis on aging in place, and a preference for what Eric Klinenberg, a professor of sociology at New York University, calls ‘intimacy at a distance’ — being close to family, but not too close,” Judith Graham wrote for KFF Health News.
According to KFF, 80% older adults who live alone are divorced or widowed. More women than men tend to end up living alone, according to the Census Bureau. That percentage works out to be slightly fewer than 6 million men and slightly more than 10 million women.
Data show that living alone is primarily an older women’s issue. Twenty-seven percent of women ages 65 to 74 live alone, compared with 21% of men. The disparity widens after age 75.
Living alone can lead to unintended consequences for older adults, such as isolation, depression and neglecting overall health. Often, Graham said, this results in more frequent hospitalizations.
“Too often, experts observe, healthcare providers don’t ask about older adults’ living situations and are unaware of the challenges they face,” Graham added.
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