Loneliness across generations

People often picture loneliness as something that happens to older people living alone. That is part of the story, but not all of it. Surveys in many countries now find that young adults often report feeling lonely more than any other age group. Every stage of life has its own reasons for feeling alone, and its own ways back to people.

This page gives a quick overview by generation. Then it points you to the pages for each stage of life.

Generations at a glance

The birth years below are the ones Pew Research Center uses. Pew itself says generational cutoff points are not an exact science. Treat these as rough groups, not boxes.

Pew has used 2012 as a working end year for Gen Z and has not set official years for Generation Alpha. The Gen Alpha years above are a common definition used by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

What research says about age and loneliness

• Young adults often report the most loneliness. In a global Meta-Gallup survey of 142 countries, 27%Adults aged 19 to 29 worldwide who feel very or fairly lonely (Meta-Gallup, 142 countries)As of October 24, 2023.Survey fielded June 2022 to February 2023. Young adults reported the highest rate of any age group.Source: Gallup: Almost a Quarter of the World Feels Lonely of adults aged 19 to 29 said they felt very or fairly lonely, compared with 17%Adults 65 and older worldwide who feel very or fairly lonely (Meta-Gallup, 142 countries)As of October 24, 2023.The lowest rate of any age group in this survey.Source: Gallup: Almost a Quarter of the World Feels Lonely of adults 65 and older.
• Young men in the U.S. stand out. Gallup found that 25%U.S. men aged 15 to 34 who felt lonely a lot of the previous day (Gallup, 2023–2024)As of May 20, 2025.Compared with 18% of all U.S. adults and 18% of young women.Source: Gallup: Younger Men in the U.S. Among the Loneliest in West of U.S. men aged 15 to 34 felt lonely a lot of the previous day, more than other U.S. adults.
• Older adults face more isolation. Older people are less likely to say they feel lonely, but they are more likely to live alone, lose people they love, and have health problems that make it hard to get out. Isolation (having few contacts) and loneliness (the painful feeling) are not the same thing; see What loneliness is.

Surveys measure loneliness in different ways, so numbers from one survey can't be compared directly with another. The overall picture is the point: no age is protected.

Why generational labels are rough

A 70-year-old who still works, volunteers and plays pickleball may have more in common with a busy 40-year-old than with a 70-year-old who is housebound. A Gen Z student in a small town and one in a big city live very different lives. Money, health, culture, disability, faith, family and where you live often matter more than the year you were born.

So use the table as a starting point. Then read the page that matches your real situation.

Find your stage of life

• Teens and pre-teens
• Young adults (about 18–29)
• Students and graduates
• Midlife (about 30–59)
• New parents and single parents
• Older adults (60 and over)
• After retirement
• Living alone
• After a breakup or divorce
• Widowed or grieving
• Lonely in a relationship or a family

How generations can help each other

Many people spend most of their week with people their own age. Mixing ages can ease loneliness on both sides. Young people gain patience, stories and steady attention. Older people gain energy, help with technology and the feeling of being useful.

Some ways this happens:

• Shared sites. Generations United, a U.S. nonprofit, tracks "intergenerational shared sites," such as a child care center and an adult day program in the same building, with planned activities together.
• Reading and tutoring programs. Many schools and libraries welcome older volunteers to read with children or help with homework.
• Tech help. Teens and young adults can help older neighbors set up video calls or a new phone. Some libraries and senior centers run these sessions.
• Shared interests. Gardens, choirs, faith communities, sports clubs and maker spaces often bring ages together naturally.
• Family. A regular call between a grandparent and grandchild, or an "adopted" grandparent from the neighborhood, can mean a lot to both.

If you want ideas for meeting people of any age, see Groups, hobbies, classes and clubs and Volunteering.