More Americans than ever love being single. They feel penalized for it by our financial system
Single this Valentine’s Day? You’re not alone. New research from The Harris Poll shows that nearly half of Americans (46%) are not in relationships—many of them on purpose.
The report, shared exclusively with Fast Company, calls it a “cultural revolution,” where people are using singlehood as a way to prioritize their agency rather than focusing on traditional relationship expectations.
Not everyone is staying single, but 80% of Americans say you don’t need marriage to be happy. In fact, singles are more likely than those in relationships to say they live a fulfilling life.
More time for friendships—or careers
The idea of what makes a fulfilling relationship and life is shifting. Two-thirds of Gen Z are staying single, and percentages across generations are up since 2023. More than three-quarters of Americans want friendships to become a respected form of serious adult relationships.
Singles enjoy having the ability to prioritize experiences and personal growth instead of pursuing traditional milestones within a romantic partnership. Driven increasingly by young women, the perception of single status is shifting from a “waiting room” to a complete lifestyle.
More than 25% of women prefer being alone, compared to 16% of men. Some research has found that men, in general, experience more benefits than women from being in a relationship, which might explain this discrepancy.
While single, men and women have different goals. Single women are more likely to prioritize travel or friendships, while single men are more likely to focus on career advancement.
Single people in general love their time and agency. They don’t have to worry about a partner’s financial concerns. They have the flexibility to choose housing that saves money, whether that’s living with family or roommates. They have free time for a side hustle.
But some traditional milestones are less accessible to single people. Financial agency allows single people to spend their money how they want, but it has also forced three-quarters of singles to become more financially independent.
People might be single and happy about it more than ever, but “the system” is still built around couples. That might be why 80% of singles said they want more “single-friendly” financial benefits like tax breaks, better healthcare costs, or housing programs.
The survey of 2,177 U.S. adults was conducted online in January. Of the individuals surveyed, 785 were considered “singles,” defined as single and not dating, or single and dating but not in an official relationship.