A new survey by AARP shows that middle-aged Americans are feeling more lonely than ever. The survey found that about 1 in 4 adults aged 45 and older say they are lonely. That’s 40% of people, up from 35% in both 2010 and 2018.
People between the ages of 45 and 59 are feeling the loneliest. Nearly half of them—46%—said they feel lonely. In comparison, only 35% of people aged 60 and older said the same.
Experts believe this happens because many middle-aged people are dealing with a lot of stress. They may be working full-time jobs, raising children, and also helping care for aging parents. At the same time, their group of friends may be getting smaller. All of this leaves less time and energy for building strong social connections.
The survey found that people who feel lonely tend to have fewer friends and smaller support networks. Almost half (45%) of the lonely adults said they have fewer friends now than they did five years ago. That’s a much higher number than the 29% of all adults aged 45 and older who said the same.
The study also found that men are more likely to feel lonely than women. About 42% of men reported loneliness, compared to 37% of women. This is different from 2018, when men and women reported feeling lonely in equal numbers.
More men also said they have no close friends. In the survey, 17% of men said they had no close friends, while only 13% of women said the same.
Technology plays a big role in staying connected. Nearly 6 in 10 people aged 45 and older (57%) said they use technology to keep in touch with family and friends. These people are more likely to have close friends, the survey found.
However, not all the news about technology is positive. AARP also found that for people who already feel lonely, technology might make things worse. About 24% of lonely adults said that using technology actually led to fewer friendships.
Experts say the survey is a reminder of how important it is to stay connected with others. Heather Nawrocki from AARP said that having strong relationships is just as important for your health as eating well and exercising.
The survey included responses from 3,276 adults aged 45 and older. They were interviewed between August 4 and August 19, 2025.
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