Am I lonelier than most people?

The loneliness epidemic in numbers

The US Surgeon General declared loneliness a public health epidemic in 2023. Data from the Cigna Loneliness Index shows 58% of US adults are considered lonely, and the health impact equals smoking 15 cigarettes/day.

Loneliness by age group

• 18–29: 65% report loneliness (highest group)
• 30–44: 55%
• 45–64: 48%
• 65+: 43% (but social isolation risk increases)

Loneliness facts

• Loneliness increases mortality risk by 26% (Holt-Lunstad meta-analysis)
• The average American has 3 close friends (down from 5 in 1990)
• Remote workers report 67% more loneliness
• 1 in 4 adults feel they have no one to talk to
• Social media use correlates with higher loneliness (paradoxically)

Sources: Cigna Loneliness Index (2024), US Surgeon General Advisory (2023), Holt-Lunstad et al. meta-analysis.